(The Lost Lands) Adventures in the Borderland Provinces

50 The Lost Lands: Adventures in the Borderland Provinces In The Two Crucibles, a party of 4–6 adventurers averaging 8th level has the opportunity to not only witness, but fully partake in the seldom seem (and even more rarely understood) world of internal barbarian politics in the wild regions north of the Wilderland Hills. As a scenario, this adventure combines three general arenas of roleplaying challenge into a single tight arc — deductive investigation, social maneuvering and politicking, and dungeon crawling — all the while showing off a wilder region of the Borderland Provinces that might otherwise go unexplored. The Vanigoths are a semi-barbarian people who dominate the plains of southeastern Suilley, an area where the Suilleyn King exerts virtually no real authority and is not widely acknowledged as a king at all. Rather, the Vanigoths have their own king in Aen Vani, a town in the eastern part of the Wilderland Hills. See, The Lost Lands: Borderland Provinces, Chapter 9: Kingdom of Suilley. Aen Vani is located in the south of the Vanigoth realm, and the farther north one goes, the less loyal are the Vanigothic nobles to their nominal king. Most of the action takes place in the middle of the Vanigoth territory, roughly 100 miles north of Aen Vani itself, where the barbarian moot called the “Crucible of Blood” musters itself, the first crucible of the adventure’s title. The player characters must race against time and piece out clues to a puzzle, all while being the tenuous guests of hundreds of the most dangerous mortal humans in all the Borderlands. Adventure Background To the civilized men and women of Suilley, Keston, and Exeter, the name of the Vanigoth people is a familiar and often bone-chilling one. It was only 10 years ago that the Wilderlands Clan War wreaked havoc across Keston Province, and that memory is fresh in the minds of both the civilized locals and the barbarians who retreated back into the hills to lick their wounds at war’s end — so fresh, in fact, that today those collective tribes are on the precipice of allowing from within their ranks a new incursion so devastating that it could not help but be the first salvo in an all-out war between the Vanigoths and the Kingdom of Suilley. It all comes down to what transpires at the Crucible of Blood. The Crucible As a people, the Vanigoth have ever been divided between Highland Vanigoths and Lowland Vanigoths, although all Vanigoths have, at times through their long history, bent the knee (however nominally) to a single “overking” of their own. After a decade of rebuilding, and of increasing levels of infighting about the future, the lowland nobles seek to re-institute an event they haven’t observed in centuries: a seven-day gathering of tribes called the Crucible of Blood. During this extended moot, the barbarians engage in all manner of contests alongside more traditional feasts and politicking, all leading to the answering of some important question or establishment of a new order. In this case, they aim to elect one of their most powerful Rohalacs (hereditary chieftains) to the ancient title of the “Warhalac,” a warlord independent of the King, with the authority to command Vanigothic warriors from many tribes as the army for a specific war. All Vanigoths present at the Crucible are pledged to follow the elected Warhalac. The election of a Warhalac would be a bad outcome for two quite different groups of people: the Kingdom of Suilley, and the Highland Vanigoths. For the Kingdom of Suilley, it would mean war within its southeastern borders, an expensive proposition that could conceivably bankrupt the Suilleyn king and topple his rule. For the Highland Vanigoths, the election of a Lowland Warhalac would represent a direct challenge to the King in Aen Vani, currently Saldevic II, a Highland Vanigoth. Historically the election of a Warhalac often precedes the removal of the King and his replacement by the Warhalac. Thus, if the Vanigoths elect a Warhalac, the entire area north of the Wilderland Hills could erupt in simultaneous wars: civil war among the Vanigoths, and a territorial war with the Kingdom of Suilley. Not all the local tribes respond to the call for moot — a few find it overly defiant of their ostensible king. Most of them choose to participate, however, for they all want a say in how the collective future of the Lowland Vanigoths will unfold. This massive social event is the theater and backdrop for much of the action in this adventure. The Outsider Chieftains Beyond the motives of the barbarian tribes, but intimately connected to their activities, two other chieftains (of a sort) have turned their schemes toward the Crucible of Blood. One of these is Fortress-Commander Sir Oessum Keenblade (EE-sum). Sir Oessum is the commanding officer of Stronghold Hjerrin (JAYR-in), the great Suilleyn border-fortress in the eastern Lorremach. Through various informants, Sir Oessum knows the Crucible has been declared, and desperately wants to get someone inside it to see what the barbarian tribes are up to, and what they might decide regarding an incursion into Suilley. For this reason, he puts into motion a plan that carries his will into the Crucible — on the backs of the characters. The other chieftain is an oni named Zemicek, and he is the pure villain of the piece. Addled in service to the demon prince Fraz-Urb’luu and plagued by delusions of grandeur, Zemicek is trying to use one of the three top candidates for the crown of Rohalac to demolish an entire barony and kick off another war between civilized men and an allied army of furious Vanigoths, ogres, and ogrillons (half-ogres), led by himself. See below for more on Zemicek and the Cauldron of Dreams. Adventure Synopsis While traveling in the southeastern part of the Kingdom of Suilley (probably on the Traders Way), the characters come upon a grisly scene: a merchant caravan attacked and pillaged on the road, with dozens butchered and a priestess of Freya missing from amongst the dead. After the local authorities call upon the party for help, the characters head north into the mountains to effectively “crash” the most significant barbarian socio-political event in decades. While a guest of the Vanigoths, the party observes and even participates in various games of skill, sport, and chance, all while trying to figure out what is really going on at the event and hopefully locate the missing priestess. While the Crucible is under way, the three leaders involved are all making their own moves, culminating in the murder of the Shadowguard spy who accompanied the party. With the Cs’ help, the tide of barbarian favor is hopefully turned against Zemicek’s traitorous ally, who is forced to quit the event and ride with what remains of his men for safety. Zemicek’s scheme is his trump card in the game of war. By sacrificing to Fraz-Urb’luu’s earthly stain a priestess who was true in her faith, but deceived into offering prayers to (and receiving blessings from) a false god, and by doing it right in the moment of her revelation and horror, Zemicek will empower all those who carry his standard — his army of demonically empowered tribes — and the Kingdom of Suilley will be in a fight for its life. Only by stopping Zemicek and his allied barbarians can the characters hope to forestall another full-on war like the Wilderlands War 10 years ago — this time aimed directly at the kingdom. The Two Crucibles

51 The Two Crucibles Adventure Hooks One can get the characters into the adventure via a number of means. Consider the following as possible ways of slotting the party into the story. Family Matters One of only two survivors of the wreck of Paster Sturgess’ caravan is a tragically misled woman of faith named Matilder (female human commoner). When they hit the caravan, Zemicek’s men kidnapped her and took her from the scene (after leaving the evidence just as Zemicek wanted it to appear). Depending on the make-up and specific circumstances of the party, it may work better to have a local relative of Matilder’s — her father Fergus (male human commoner) — entreat the characters for help in finding her, and if possible, bringing her (or her body) back home. Fergus doesn’t have much money, but he can offer the party 200gp (his life’s savings) for the safe return of whatever remains of his beloved daughter. Paid Patrols The characters may already be part of the Fortress-Commander’s plans for the security of the southeastern border marches. The Kingdom’s forces are spread too thinly in this area, and the Stronghold has leave from the crown to offer modest sums to bands of proven adventurers, provided they operate with discretion and are unlikely to stain the military reputation of the Kingdom. Most of these jobs are informal, and in most cases involve little more than the Stronghold providing a tip to a local adventuring party as to where a particular problem or problem area might reside, and providing notice that anyone who resolves the problem or clears out that particular area will be paid a reward. Caerboar Hall Caerboar Hall is a fortified manor house located at the very southeastern tip of the Kingdom of Suilley, nestled in the intersection of the Forlorn Mountains and the Wilderland Hills — an area riven with deep, forested canyons and honeycombed with extensive caverns. Characters whose players can make relevant checks might recall or discover the following information about it: DC 12: An ancient ranger bloodline built a fortified manor house a hundred or more years ago on the site of a ruined Hyperborean fort, and managed to clear out a small fiefdom, forcing numerous beasts and monsters into the mountains and hills. DC 15: Since that time, a hamlet of a few families has clustered around the manor, gaining protection from the region’s fell beasts, since members of the isolated family owning the manor are considered to be brutal, murderous foes in battle. DC 18: The Bristleback family only has three or four of their “bloodline” rangers in residence at any given time, but the place is considered a refuge for traveling rangers and other wayfarers of honest intent. The Vanigoths consider the Bristleback rangers to be dangerous foreigners in their territory, a nest of wasps. On more than one occasion, the Bristlebacks have interfered with the actions of Vanigoth Chieftains, and this has usually led to the death of the Chieftain, not in nice ways. It is impressive that the Vanigoths consider the Bristlebacks to be unusually savage and brutal, since Vanigoth standards for savagery and brutality are really quite high.

52 The Lost Lands: Adventures in the Borderland Provinces Serendipitous Concurrence The simplest way to involve the characters is to have them come upon the scene of the wrecked caravan in the natural course of whatever business brought them to or through this part of Suilley. In this event, they’ll have just enough time to survey the wreckage for themselves before any Suilleyn authority arrives and reluctantly takes charge. The GM could certainly combine this hook with either of the other two; in one case Matilder’s father would entreat the characters after they’ve found the wreckage (or do so upon arriving on scene with the soldiers, perhaps), and in the other case the party would come upon the scene in the course of their regular patrol duties. Either way, the adventure truly begins at the scene of a horrible crime. The Wreck of Paster Sturgess The characters are traveling on the Trader’s Way, arriving at the rocky ground where the road enters (or leaves, depending on the direction of their travels) the northern side of the Wilderland Hills. The ground here is not infertile, but it is rocky and uneven. The road, which is in extremely poor repair here, runs roughly north to south into the hills. Travel is slow, for the stone-paved road is broken in some places, and uneven in many as it makes the steep ascent toward the hills. The horses huff their way to the crest of yet another climb, but rather than pick up speed for leveling off, they suddenly whinny and snort to an unexpected stop. Scattered before them and you, filling your field of view, is a visual lesson in why people are nervous about traveling far from their homes in this area. Ahead of you the road winds downward and cuts sharply to the west, around a steep rock face in the terrain, ascending again as it bends out of sight. Everything between here and there… is a blood-soaked abattoir. Among the overturned wrecks of three caravan wagons lie the remains of at least two dozen people and animals. Mangled bodies poke out from holes in canvas, or from beneath other mangled bodies; some of them, seemingly whole at first glance, reveal themselves now to be little more than collections of torsos and heads, their lost limbs scattered about the area. And rising up behind it all, that bare rock face — now so spattered with gore as to resemble the artistic ravings of a madman. At the head of the doomed caravan, slumped over his fallen horse, rots the figure of a man you assume to be the caravan master. One drooping hand holds a blade, its tip a jagged break in the steel, and his other hand is gone entirely. A lone black crow stands perched atop his head, eyeing you with an inky disregard, a trail of glistening sinew dangling from its beak. Characters who make relevant checks might discover the following information: DC 10: The caravan was obviously ambushed from both above and behind in a brutally effective lightning attack. The deceased were killed by way of direct physical damage; cuts and blows. DC 12: The caravan master and all the caravan attendants are present and accounted for (if perforated badly), but the merchants in the log are missing, as well as the priestess of Freya. DC 14: Paster Sturgess himself put up one hell of a fight, clearly wounding or killing at least one attacker, as did Peraulto Vaen. No attackers’ bodies remain at the scene, however. DC 16: All the bodies present are missing their tongues. Attempts to use speak with dead or the like on any of the deceased fail, regardless of roll or power. “Contact” appears successful, but it registers to the spellcaster/ user as though the dead simply have nothing to say. DC 18: Among the wreckage is an idol of St. Hildemar, a saint revered by the clergy of Freya. DC 20: Although a number of loosed arrows pepper the area, they all flew from the dead men. (GM’s note: The assailants used javelins, just as the Vanigoth do, but removed them all from the scene.) Any character who thinks to scrape off the paint on the idol discovers a second face underneath — one that looks a lot less like St. Hildemar and a lot more like a leering imp or gremlin-thing. Unless that character has specific prior experience with the cult of Fraz-Urb’luu in the region, thinking to do such a random thing should be a DC 20 check in itself, at the very easiest. The Strategos’ Offer At this juncture Fortress-Captain Sir Kenan Parnordh (male human Clr7 of Vanitthu). Kenan is the captain of a survey patrol from Stronghold Hjerrin, tasked to evaluate the defenses of the few castles along the edge of the Lorremach Highhills and make recommendations to the FortressCommander. Kenan arrives on the scene with his escort, about 2 dozen elite soldiers (male and female human Ftr3). How exactly to play this out depends on which set-up the GM decided to go with: If the characters were hired by Matilder’s father to find her, then they have just received confirmation that she’s been taken by some marauding band when the Fortress-Captain arrives. If they were already hired by the crown, or by Stronghold Hjerrin to perform some service, then this is where they debrief and where the Fortress-Captain offers them a new assignment on behalf of Sir Oessum, the Fortress-Commander of Hjerrin Stronghold. If they happened upon the scene by coincidence, he will see their appearance for the opportunity it is, and proceed accordingly. (While there’s room for a brief misunderstanding, it’s clear to any professional military officer that the characters aren’t responsible for the carnage.) Sir Kenan is a severe-looking man, not too tall, but powerfully broad across the middle, dressed in breastplate armor with tabards of the Kingdom of Suilley affixed to the front and back, quartered with a tower (the symbol of Hjerrin’s forces). Whether he’s met the characters before or not, the terms of his situation and offer remain the same and are as follows: • To his eyes and mind, this attack is pretty clearly the work of the Vanigoths, who had been known in decades past for just this sort of raid: The use of terrain, the wanton killing of both man and beast, the pillaging of all coin and cargo… all hallmarks of a Vanigoth raid. A Vanigoth raid this far to the west is unusual, but becoming more common recently. The Caravan of Paster Sturgess Contingent: • Caravan Master Paster Sturgess (male human) • 3 wagons, 6 oxen, 1 yak-beast • 3 dogs • 6 cavalry (non-military), 6 warhorses • 3 teamsters • 3 archers • 3 merchants (gone, but noted in manifest): Bromley Fitzhubert (male human), Gillia Tenberry (female human), Peraulto Vaen (male human) • 1 guest (gone, but noted in manifest): Matilder the Fair (female human) Cargo (gone, but noted in manifest): 1 wagon of hazelnuts (500gp), 1 wagon of cloth tapestries (2000gp), half-wagon of cheap spices (700gp), half-wagon of leather shoes (500gp). Coin Box (gone, but noted in Sturgess’ logbook): 316gp in coins of various denominations.

53 The Two Crucibles • He needs a group of independent agents — capable people, but not soldiers or anyone else who can be traced back to Suilley — to provide cover for a lone spy to get inside the most important Vanigoth tribal event in years: The Crucible of Blood, a great moot established in a temporary camp-town deep in the “Kingdom” of the Vanigoths. • The primary purpose in this mission is to determine what the Vanigoths are up to and what their plans for troublemaking are. It would also be nice to find out who raided the caravan, and where the missing merchants are. • The Fortress-Captain has the key any such operatives will require to participate in a Vanigothic moot: An actual Vanigoth expatriate who knows the location of the event. The cover story he suggests is that the characters rescued this man from the evils of a Suilleyn baron, and that he now owes them a blood debt for saving him and returning him to his people. Sir Kenan knows the Vanigoths always honor a blood debt and will give the characters safe passage on those grounds. • If they agree, Sir Kenan will give each of them 500gp and a letter of marque from Stronghold Hjerrin. It will also likely result in additional work from the Stronghold if the characters decide to remain in that area. In addition, the Fortress-Captain assures them they’re free to keep just about anything else they find. Note: While this isn’t an issue if the GM chose the adventure hook in which the party is already working on Suilley’s behalf, it otherwise might seem a bit off that Sir Kenan is so ready to trust the characters, and to hire them for such an important mission. The fact of the matter is that Sir Kenan, a devout follower of Vanitthu, god of guardians, has been riding directly toward the characters for the last two days, following a series of minor omens and divine guidances toward the only group nearby that could feasibly complete the mission. He already suspects that he is being guided toward the people he needs, and unless the characters demonstrate unreliable or vicious personalities, he will have no concerns about putting the mission into their hands. He has already encountered and recruited Halvor, and now he has the other half of the expedition standing in front of him. There definitely isn’t a surplus of adventurers of the party’s level just walking around ready to be hired. Other Party Members Accompanying the characters to the Crucible are the aforementioned Shadowguard agent, Evienne, and their Vanigoth guide, Halvor. The slender, raven-haired woman the adventurers know as “Evienne” was born Raula Piyette in a small hillside village about 10 miles from Caerboar Hall. The Vanigoth and their allies wiped out half her family during the rampages of the Wilderlands Clan War, and she has since dedicated herself to serving the Kingdom of Suilley as a member of the country’s secretive “Shadowguards.” “Evienne” has worked very hard simply for the opportunity to put her own life in great jeopardy, but she wouldn’t trade it for the world. Nothing is more important than making sure that no one else suffers as she did at the hands of savages. Evienne, the Shadowguard: AC 14; HP 33 (6d8+6); Spd 30ft; Melee shortsword (+5, 1d6+3 piercing); SA cunning action (dash, disengage, or hide as bonus), multiattack (shortsword x2), sneak attack (1/turn, 2d6 damage); Ranged hand crossbow (+5, 30ft/120ft, 1d6+3 piercing); Str +0, Dex +3, Con +1, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +3; Skills Deception +5, Investigation +5, Persuasion +5, Sleight of Hand +5, Stealth +5; AL N; CR 1; XP 200. Equipment: leather armor, shortsword, hand crossbow, 30 bolts, backpack, thieves’ tools The party’s only hope for winning entrance to the otherwise private event that is the Crucible of Blood resides in the personage of a traitor. Halvor is a Vanigoth himself, but one who no longer wants to live the life of a highland barbarian. While looking for work in Pfefferain, the local authorities picked him up on a minor offense and upon discovering his heritage, delivered him to Sir Kenan, who was already on his way to the town, following his trail of divine hints. Halvor’s news of the Crucible of Blood immediately led Sir Kenan to communicate by carrier pigeon with his commander at Stronghold Hjerrin, informing the FortressCommander of the developments in the Vanigoth region. Although Sir Kenan didn’t really grasp the significance of the news, Sir Oessum, the Fortress-Commander, did. A fast-courier rode from the Stronghold to Pfefferain with new orders for Sir Kenan: to make an offer to Halvor, and to assemble a group of capable veterans to accompany. If Halvor can get these adventurers into the Crucible and back, the Fortress-Commander will grant him amnesty for past offenses, citizenship rights within the kingdom, and honest work in Pfefferain. All the red-headed warrior wants is a fresh start, and he’s willing to take a very big risk to get it. Halvor, the Expatriate: AC 14; HP 67 (9d8+27); Spd 30ft; Melee greataxe (+5, 1d12+3 slashing); Ranged javelin (+3, 30ft/120ft, 1d6+3 piercing); Str +3, Dex +1, Con +3, Int +1, Wis +1, Cha +0; Traits reckless (gain tactical advantage on melee during turn, but any attack suffered has tactical advantage until start of next turn), unarmored defense; AL CG; CR 2; XP 450. Equipment: greataxe, 4 javelins. Aen Fathorr (Een FAH-thor) After days of hard traveling with your two new companions, you push through the last fringes of a massive copse of trees and see the landscape open up before you. Spread out across acres of relatively flat land is a massive camptown surrounded in a wooden log wall. Smoke drifts up in lazily climbing spirals here and there across the camp, and the sounds of rough men shouting, sparring, and working fill the air. A single modest path, little more than a worn-out stretch of grass, winds its way from the nearest scrabble roadway towards an ad-hoc wooden gate in the side of the log wall. At relatively even intervals, pairs of spikes driven into the earth rise up on either side of the path. Atop each spike is a severed head — some old and all but rotted out, others fresh and red. This is Aen Fathorr, a Vanigoth town that only exists while the Crucible of Blood is underway. Each time they call for the event, participating tribes send men ahead of the event to build the camptown, making it ready for the arrival of their kinsmen and assembled retinues. The severed heads are a simple but effective warning: KEEP OUT. Naturally, the characters are supposed to do the very opposite, according to their guide Halvor, who heads directly for the gate. Getting inside shouldn’t be very difficult, as Halvor is a proven Vanigoth with the look and ritual scarification to prove it, in addition to a solid story to provide The Shadowguard The Shadowguard is a secret organization of spies and agents in service to the Crown of Suilley, handling matters of espionage and information-gathering. The Commander of the Shadowguard has become an office bestowed from within the Shadowguard itself, and the King has no power to replace whatever person happens to be serving in that office. The one or two attempts by Suilleyn monarchs to appoint a different commander have simply met with the Shadowguard’s ignoring the supposed leader and following the orders of their chosen commander. Nevertheless, the Shadowguards have always proven completely loyal to the Crown: some are, indeed, quite fanatical in the Kingdom’s service. The organization does not ordinarily engage in violence on the King’s behalf, but a few quiet murders have been traced back to them over the years, in situations where assassinations seem to be the only viable solution to a major problem of state.

54 The Lost Lands: Adventures in the Borderland Provinces the guards at the gate. Good as their cover story is, however, the guards still order the group to report their arrival to at least one of the Rohalacs in attendance once they are admitted. This is the party’s first chance to meet and encounter Karemoryc, who is the chieftain to whom Halvor presents them (and the most socially gracious, at least outwardly). During this encounter, Karimoryc is the very model of the noble savage, listening intently as Halvor recites his tale and nodding when he gets to the part about the blood debt he owes the characters. Although accommodations in the camptown are meager (the Rohalacs’ personal tribes do live a bit better than the rest, in simple log cabins as opposed to just collections of camp tents), Karimoryc sees to it that Halvor finds his closest kinsmen at the event, and that his indebted guests have a place to set up shop for the duration. This conversation, which occurs in a great, high-beamed wooden hall before the eyes of many assembled barbarian warriors, can play out in whatever manner best suits your campaign. If the characters prefer to simply get on with the adventure, you can breeze through it with the prior description. If they prefer more in-depth roleplaying, feel free to expand it into a prolonged conversation, with many shouted questions and savage threats from the onlookers before their story is accepted, followed by an invitation to feast and drink. At some point during the conversation, Karimoryc tells them, “Be warned that, as a guest at the Crucible, you are expected to bear witness to the trials and the tests. That means standing alongside us even when we face danger to life and limb, and while the trials are not yours, you may on occasion share in that danger. This is our way, that even our guests must prove their courage. If you cannot accept this, you must leave, blood debt or no!” What Karimoryc doesn’t say, of course, is that he’s more than a little worried about the characters’ presence, and while he may be outwardly welcoming and polite, adhering to the Vanigothic traditions of debt and hospitality, he’s already concocting ways to get these foreigners out of the way before they can interfere with his plans. The Three Contenders Once inside the grounds it doesn’t take the characters long to discover that although there are more than three Rohalacs in attendance, only three are true contenders for the title that the gathered Vanigoth tribes are obliged to bestow upon one chosen leader at the close of the event. These three Vanigoth leaders are named Idugo, Winvani, and Karimoryc, and are detailed as follows. Idugo, the Unchained For some in attendance, Idugo is the presumptive favorite for the prize of regional Rohalac, thanks largely to his renowned prowess as a warrior and his powerful tribal totem (black bear). But others suspect he’s not up to such a demanding role, intellectually or socially, as the ogrish blood is strong in him. He stands nearly 7ft in height, and looks like a cross between a bear-pelted berserker and an ogrillon. Zemicek tried to engage Idugo first, using the Cauldron of Dreams (see below) to approach him in his sleep, but Idugo’s subconscious rejected the overture and the ogre mage had to move on to other possible foils. Ever since then, Idugo has carried a quiet and unsubstantiated suspicion regarding his rival Karimoryc, and although ideas are not what he’s known for, on this one he happens to be dead right. Idugo: AC 17; HP 142 (15d10+75); Spd 40ft; Melee greataxe (+10, 2d12+9 slashing); Ranged javelin (+10, 30ft/120ft, 1d6+9 piercing); SA multiattack (greataxe x2 or javelin x2); Resist all damage except psychic; Str +6, Dex +2, Con +5, Int +0, Wis +0, Cha –1; Skills Investigation +2, Medicine +2, Nature +4, Perception +4, Religion +2; Traits brute (extra die of damage on melee attacks, included), rage (+3 on Strength-based weapon damage, included), reckless (tactical advantage on all attacks, but all attacks against Idugo have tactical advantage), tactical advantage on initiative, Dex saves and Str checks, unarmored defense; AL CN; CR 9; XP 5000. Equipment: bear pelt, fur boots, greataxe, 4 javelins. Winvani, the Unheralded The second contender for the tribal crown is perhaps the “dark horse” (if there is one), based on the fact that he is the smallest of the three, standing barely 6ft in height, and of the three, probably the weakest warrior in oneon-one combat. What people outside his own family tribe don’t realize is that what he lacks in martial size and prowess, he more than makes up for in cunning and focus, and when all is said and done he is the likeliest to end up with the crown. Unlike the other two, Winvani hasn’t a drop of ogrish blood in him, which makes him effectively immune to Zemicek’s long-distance charms, but he’s not a very social or personable man and his effective charisma and leadership among those who don’t already know his caliber suffer for it. Winvani: AC 18; HP 98 (15d8+30); Spd 40ft; Melee scimitar (+10, 1d6+9 slashing); Ranged dagger (+10, 20ft/60ft, 1d4+9 piercing); SA cunning action (dash, disengage, or hide as bonus), multiattack (scimitar x2 or dagger x2), sneak attack (1/turn, 6d6 damage), uncanny dodge (reaction, half damage when hit by attack); Resist bludgeoning, piercing, slashing; Str +2, Dex +6, Con +2, Int +2, Wis +1, Cha +0; Skills Arcana +6, History +6, Insight +3, Religion +6; Traits,dexterous rage (+3 on Dexteritybased weapon damage, included), eagle totem (opportunity attacks against Winvani have tactical disadvantage), evasion, unarmored defense; AL CN; CR 9; XP 5000. Equipment: stealthy clothes, scimitar, 4 daggers, backpack, thieves’ tools Karimoryc, the Unwary The final contender is a tragic figure in our story. Although he has just about as much ogrish blood in him as does the bear Idugo, Karimoryc doesn’t look the part — and indeed, passes for completely human. He stands over 6ft tall, with broad (but not ogrish) shoulders and deep-set, piercing green eyes. After Zemicek failed to connect with Idugo’s blunt and uncooperatively simple subconscious, the ogre mage found much more fertile soil romping around the dreamscape of the already ambitious and frustrated tribal leader Karimoryc. Zemicek has been incredibly cunning and persuasive, convincing Karimoryc in his dreams that this is the right thing not only for him, personally, but for the people who will follow him into battle. Karimoryc is ambitious, yes, but he genuinely feels he’s doing the right thing for his tribe. With his secret mentor guiding him, Karimoryc intends to bend the Crucible of Blood to his will, and once he has control over all the gathered tribes, he will order them to battle against the rangers. The Barbarians of Aen Fathorr Although the characters will find a wide variety of specific traits and abilities among the tribes present for the Crucible, a time might come when the GM requires statistics to serve as exemplary of the broader body of attending barbarians. In such an event, use the following stat block. Vanigoth Barbarian: AC 14; HP 67 (9d8+27); Spd 30ft; Melee greataxe (+5, 1d12+3 slashing); Ranged javelin (+3, 30ft/120ft, 1d6+3 piercing); Str +3, Dex +1, Con +3, Int –1, Wis +0, Cha –1; Traits reckless (gain tactical advantage on melee during turn, but any attack suffered has tactical advantage until start of next turn), unarmored defense; AL CN; CR 2; XP 450. Equipment: greataxe, 4 javelins.

55 The Two Crucibles Karimoryc: AC 17; HP 98 (13d8+39); Spd 40ft; Melee +1 battleaxe (+9, 2d8+9 slashing); Ranged longbow (+4, 150ft/600ft, 1d6+1 piercing); SA multiattack (battleaxe x2 or longbow x2); Resist bludgeoning, piercing, slashing; Str +5, Dex +1, Con +3, Int +1, Wis +1, Cha +2; Skills Investigation +2, Medicine +5, Nature +2, Perception +5, Religion +2; Traits brute (extra die of damage on melee attacks, included), frenzy (Karimoryc makes a battleaxe attack as a bonus action every round until end of combat, but gains a level of exhaustion at combat’s end), rage (+3 on Strength-based weapon damage, included), reckless (tactical advantage on all attacks, but all attacks against Karimoryc have advantage), tactical advantage on initiative, Dexterity saves, and Strength checks, unarmored defense; AL CN (E); CR 8; XP 3900. Equipment: clothes, heavy boots, +1 battleaxe, +1 shield, longbow, 20 arrows. Although the characters arrive in the afternoon of the second day of the event, for clarity’s sake this adventure will reckon things from their perspective from here on out, starting with “Day One.” Day One Although they have been welcomed as guests, not everyone is thrilled to see outsiders present during the Crucible. A number of the Vanigoth give the characters the stink-eye throughout the evening and the following morning. Insults are thrown and the characters may, at your discretion, find themselves involved in a brawl or two. Winvani doesn’t appear to care much that the characters are here, but Idugo angrily berates Halvor for bringing them, and takes every opportunity to snarl at the party, reminding them that they’re here only on their hosts’ sufferance and had better not make a nuisance of themselves. On the morning of day one, the characters emerge from their guest huts to find the Vanigoth already engaged in all manner of contests of strength. While the competition between the three chieftains is obviously paramount, other members of the tribes are also engaged in various games and rivalries. Here, a pair of burly warriors wrestle with violent abandon, each attempting to pin the other. Over there, two teams of Vanigoth youths engage in a tug-of-war — with a flexing, bearded barbarian, his arms outstretched, serving as the rope! The chieftains themselves are engaged in a caber-toss, each hefting a massive log upright and hurling it as far along a measured field as he can. It’s an incredible display of might, with good-sized boles tumbling down-field, accompanied by hefty grunts and savage cries. Everyone’s giving their all, but there can be no doubt that Idugo’s got the edge in this particular contest. (Characters cannot compete against the chieftains, but they’re welcome to challenge any of the other Vanigoths. Some accept such a challenge in a friendly manner, others are pridefully eager to show up the outsiders, but either way the characters can build up some social currency with a good showing, if they don’t mind enduring some rude taunts in the process.) These, however, are all just prelude to the day’s true challenge to come. The Running of the Boars At around midmorning, warriors of the tribes begin to gather, preparing to head out. Everyone seems to already know what’s going on, but if the characters can find a Vanigoth who’s not particularly hostile to them — Halvor, if nobody else — they can get an explanation. “We hunt,” the barbarian tells you, “but it is more than a hunt. Within the trees roam packs of boar, massive and wild. Each of the Rohalacs and his handpicked companions will run the boars, driving them and pursuing them for many miles to prove their endurance and hunting prowess. Then and only then will they take the prey in glorious bloodshed, the winner determined by how many boar they bring down, the average size of the beasts, and how far they ran to keep up with their prey. “Good luck keeping up, my ‘civilized’ friends!” he adds with a laugh. What follows is several hours of dirt, sweat, and tears. The characters and their allies are, indeed, expected to keep up with the hunting expedition. For the first few hours, this involves stalking through the woods, hunting signs of boar. The characters don’t need to actually do the tracking, as that is part of the challenge for the chieftains, but they are expected not to interfere. Have the party make DC 12 Dex (Stealth) checks (individually or as a group check, as you prefer). On a failure, the characters make enough noise to prolong the hunt, drawing disdainful and hateful comments from Idugo and many of the others. Eventually, the Vanigoths discover their prey and drive the boars into a dead run with a cacophony of screams, shouts, and the banging of weapons on shields. Everyone, characters included, breaks into a dead run through the forest, the chase punctuated by porcine squeals and snorts. At this point, each of the characters must make a DC 10 Con check. (If the earlier Stealth check was failed, this Con check is instead DC 12, as the characters are already a bit more tired than the otherwise would be.) Characters who fail this check suffer 1 level of exhaustion at the end of the chase. As the chase goes on, the Rohalacs and their companions peel off, each pursuing a different group of wild boar, eventually leaving Halvor and the characters on their own in the middle of the woodlands. (If the characters attempt to keep with the last of the three chieftains, Halvor tells them to hang back, that interfering with the actual kill is forbidden.) As you finally come to a halt, gasping for air after the seemingly endless run, you realize that your party is one short! At some point during the mad dash, Evienne has vanished — perhaps doubling back to gather intelligence back at Aen Fathorr? Whether the characters choose to remain where they are or to go back and search for her is irrelevant, for only moments later… Your brief silent respite is broken by more shouting, more clashing of metal on metal, starting at a distance but growing steadily nearer. And then that manmade chorus is drowned out by the scream of bestial fury and the thunder of hooves and shattering branches!” The characters have a single round in which to prepare before a sounder of 6 giant boars tear out of the forest and charge them. The boars aren’t trying to escape; they’ve been whipped up into enough of a fury to attack! At least one of the boars makes a beeline for Halvor; the man’s no pushover, but if the characters don’t help him, it’s entirely possible that he’ll perish in this encounter. Giant Boar (6): AC 12; HP 42 (5d10+15); Spd 40ft; Melee tusk (+5, 2d6+3 slashing); SA charge (move 20ft then attack, tusk deals extra 2d6 and target must make DC 13 Str save or fall prone); Str +3, Dex +0, Con +3, Int –4, Wis –2, Cha –3; Traits relentless (1/encounter, if boar takes 10 damage or less than would reduce it 0 hp, it is reduced to 1 hp instead); AL U; CR 2; XP 450. Halvor, the Expatriate: AC 14; HP 67 (9d8+27); Spd 30ft; Melee greataxe (+5, 1d12+3 slashing); Ranged javelin (+3, 30ft/120ft, 1d6+3 piercing); Str +3, Dex +1, Con +3, Int +1,

56 The Lost Lands: Adventures in the Borderland Provinces Wis +1, Cha +0; Traits reckless (gain tactical advantage on melee during turn, but any attack suffered has tactical advantage until start of next turn), unarmored defense; AL CG; CR 2; XP 450. Equipment: greataxe, 4 javelins. The boars are enraged enough to fight to the death. Once they’re dead, allow the characters to attempt a DC 15 Wis (Perception or Survival) check. On a success, the character realizes that the sounds they heard driving the boars — the screams, banging, and so forth — were very specifically moving in this direction. There’s no way to say for sure, but it’s almost as though someone deliberately drove the boars their way! (Indeed, this was Karimoryc’s first attempt at getting them out of the way, though of course they can’t know that.) Celebrating the Hunt The mood is tense that evening. Everyone has gathered in the main hall to celebrate the end of the hunt and this second day of the Crucible. All attention should be on the three chieftains, each of whom made a respectable showing, and particularly on Idugo whose kill count clearly marks him as the day’s victor. Instead, however, many of the eyes are upon your own party, the outsiders who slew half a dozen of the giant boar. While some of the Vanigoth look upon you with newfound respect, others are furious at your “interference.” That your “hunt” was conducted in self-defense doesn’t seem to make a difference in their eyes. Indeed, Rohalac Idugo himself is infuriated, and you’re fairly certain that only the quick words of the other chieftains, and several of Idugo’s own men, have prevented him from resorting to violence in his anger. Still, the bulk of the Vanigoths — even those seemingly unhappy with how things turned out — continue to treat you as welcome guests. After an hour or so of feasting, the three Rohalacs rise and recite the names of the those who fell in battle with the giant boars — including Halvor, if he’s dead — and burst into a heavily martial paean to the gods and the spirits of the fallen. It’s certainly a loud and heartfelt tribute, if nothing else, and is followed by additional rounds of drinking. Again, how much or how little you choose to roleplay through this scene is entirely up to you and the needs of the campaign. At some point during the drinking, however, Evienne takes a seat next to one of the characters. (If she’s developed a particular friendship with any of them, choose him or her; otherwise, she chooses whichever character has shown the most signs of intelligence and subtlety.) “While you were out waging war against angry pigs,” she says, “I was able to do a bit of asking around. You might be interested to know that things were a bit unfriendly around here even before we stuck our outsider noses into things. The Vanigoth tribes aren’t always best buddies, but apparently there’s been some particular tension between Idugo and Karimoryc — and it’s more than just the competition. Nobody’s come out and said it this way, but I get the impression Idugo’s been surlier and shorter tempered than usual, which is kind of like saying a vampire’s thirstier than usual. I don’t know what’s behind it all, but let me know if you hear anything relevant, would you?” The characters are welcome to question her further, but that really is all she’s learned. If pressed, though, she’ll admit that she’s starting to suspect Idugo’s tribe of being responsible for the raid on the caravan. It is, however, just a suspicion. Day Two Again the Vanigoth are awake and active with the rising of the sun, and whether or not the characters meant to awaken that early, they most certainly will. This time, the sounds are not of wrestling, hurling, and similar feats of strength, but of hammers, nails, shovels, and logs. Just beyond Aen Fathorr, a massive project is underway beneath the graying skies and the chilly early morning drizzle. Dozens of men and women, of all the major tribes, seem to be erecting wooden fences across several acres of open field and the sides of several hills. If there’s a plan to this construction, it’s not immediately obvious; they appear to be forming random rooms, hallways, and courtyards, rather than any particular structure. The characters can earn a bit more social capital if they offer to help with the manual labor, but otherwise there’s nothing for them to do, or really even to see, until midmorning. War Games As before, it’s not hard for the characters to find someone willing to explain the day’s trials. As yesterday was a test of strength, stamina, and personal combat prowess, today is a measure of leadership, teamwork, and tactics. The open chambers and twisting passages of the fencework serve as a battleground and game board, wherein the three Rohalacs will guide their forces toward the achievement of various objectives. One game is simply a variety of “capture the flag,” for instance, while another involves moves in careful sequence far more complex than a life-sized version of three-way chess, and a third is simply a grand melee where the winner is the chieftain who has warriors still standing at the end. The characters, along with the rest of the observers, may stand atop one of the nearby hills, where the bulk of the field is visible to them. Here, of course, the characters have nothing to do but watch, and for the bulk of the day, that’s what they do. (It’s possible for one or two characters to slip away at a time, if they have other activities they’d like to attempt, but the party as a whole is expected to remain.) As the hours pass and this side or that claims a victory, it becomes quite clear that this is a contest between Karimoryc and Winvani. Idugo is no fool, but he simply can’t match the quick-thinking and tactical acumen of the other two. And their tactics are good indeed. For all their barbaric reputation, the Vanigoth are warriors bred, and all three Rohalacs show a solid grasp of how to use the terrain to their advantage, of group formations, and other rudiments of warfare. And that, of course, is when the characters find themselves involved despite themselves. Fill in the bracket in the text box below with the name of the toughest/strongest-looking character. You’ve no warning at all. Between one breath and the next, one of the Vanigoths watching the games alongside you suddenly spins and throws a hard right cross across [character name]’s face! A trio of Vanigoths instigate a brawl with the three most physically oriented characters. It’s sudden and violent, but it is a brawl, not a genuine melee; no weapons are involved unless the characters draw first, at which point everyone nearby dives in to break things up. (And the characters will have lost face in the eyes of every man and woman present.) On the incredibly unlikely chance that the barbarians manage to drop a character to zero hit points, they strike to knock out, not to kill. You can treat this as a genuine combat if you like, rolling initiative and the works, or you can run through it purely descriptively.

57 The Two Crucibles Vanigoth Barbarian: AC 14; HP 67 (9d8+27); Spd 30ft; Melee greataxe (+5, 1d12+3 slashing); Ranged javelin (+3, 30ft/120ft, 1d6+3 piercing); Str +3, Dex +1, Con +3, Int –1, Wis +0, Cha –1; Traits reckless (gain tactical advantage on melee during turn, but any attack suffered has tactical advantage until start of next turn), unarmored defense; AL CN; CR 2; XP 450. Equipment: greataxe, 4 javelins 3 rounds after this brawl begins, Karimoryc and several of his men step out from within the winding fences of the battleground. “What is this?!” the Rohalac bellows, is voice cutting through the sound of the fight. “I demand to know what—!” At which point a team of Idugo’s tribesmen also leap from within the fences, falling upon Karimoryc’s people and striking them down. For this was, indeed, a ploy of Idugo’s. Outsiders may not be permitted to participate in the war games, but nowhere in the rules of the contest does is specifically state that they cannot be targeted. Anticipating that Karimoryc, as the chieftain who first granted the characters their guest status, would break from the game to determine what was going on, Idugo planned this brawl as a tactical diversion. After a great a deal of argument, the consulting of tribal elders, and several more punches thrown, it is determined that Idugo’s victory stands. Although he has clearly lost the day, he is awarded this one particular competition. Celebrating the Games Despite the results of the grand melee, it was Rohalac Karimoryc who was declared the overall victor, with Winvani a close second: four games to three, with Idugo taking one. The mood at the feast is celebratory, Karimoryc’s tribe celebrating their chief’s victory, the others content with contests well won. A few remain troubled by the unorthodox involvement of the characters, but as it made no substantial difference in the game’s results, most of the Vanigoth have chosen to let it pass. Most, but not all. Karimoryc himself seems subdued, far less jubilant than his victory should suggest. He eats but little, and avoids any efforts the characters might make to sit with him or speak to him. In fact, Karimoryc is beginning to panic. Yes, he won, but his margin of victory was razor-thin. Even when they weren’t trying to interfere, the characters’ presence very nearly cost him. Between that and the suspicions Zamicek is feeding him in his dreams, Karimoryc is growing ever more paranoid about their presence. He retires early that night, ostensibly to prepare for the morrow but in fact to plot over what to do. Evienne makes no particular effort to speak with the party, and if one of the characters should question her, she tells them simply that she was able to learn nothing new that day — she’s learned all she can from casual gossip or light snooping — and is going to have to resort to riskier methods if she’s to discover any more useful intelligence. Day Three At this point, it should come as no surprise to the characters that the day’s activity begins at, or even before, the rising of the sun. What they may find odd, however, is that the three Rohalacs, as well as a great many of the Vanigoth, are already fully ensconced in the feasting hall. Drinks and plates are passed, shouts and roaring laughter fills the air. Other tribesmen and women come and go, but the chieftains remain — sometimes seated, sometimes making the rounds of the crowd, but never departing. The characters are welcomed to join, to observe, to eat and drink their fill. It certainly appears, initially, as though the day is one of revelry rather than competition. Wit and Wariness As the characters observe, however, they’ll slowly begin to pick up on an ongoing pattern. The tone of the conversations may be friendly and jovial, at least to start with, but the content certainly isn’t. The Rohalacs are constantly commenting on the past histories of the people to whom they speak — prior successes, prior failures, even parentage and families. These frequently turn into taunts and insults, stinging observations on shameful anecdotes. The other Vanigoth, in turn, send verbal barbs back at the chieftains to whom they normally show such respect, accusations and insults that the three candidates parry and riposte with further jabs. It finally dawns on you precisely what’s happening here. Every comment, every insult, requires that Kureth, Winvani, or Idugo display not only knowledge of the personal history of the Vanigoth they’re addressing, but also a sense of what sorts of observations will get under his or her skin. Especially considering that they aren’t limiting their verbal barbs to their own tribesmen, but to warriors of the other tribes as well, it’s a startling display of awareness and social acumen. The contest — for you can see, now, that this is exactly what it is — goes far beyond even that. The Rohalacs also have to address the failures and defeats they reference, explaining (in the form of bragging or taunting) how they or their own people might have done better, and they must prove quickwitted enough to defend against the accusations, and the knowledge of their own past failures, that are thrown their way in turn. Every Vanigoth who enters the hall, replacing one who has departed, presents both a new target and a new potential social threat. It’s an almost dizzying display of social maneuvering, broad knowledge of the Vanigoth nation, and clashing wits. Of course, these are Vanigoth, and even in this test of social and mental acumen, physical prowess has a part to play. Now and again — perhaps driven by a particularly brutal insult, or possibly simply as part of the test — one of the feasters moves to attack this Rohalac or that, swinging a fist or occasionally a wooden flagon. In every case, the assault ends as soon as its target reacts, whether by avoiding the blow or striking down his attacker, but you’ve no doubt that the speed of the response, and the chieftain’s ability to sense the danger, also factors into the contest results. It is, in its own way, the most fascinating of the trials you’ve witnessed during your time in the Crucible. The Rohalacs are, of course, not expected to spend every waking moment engaged in this social melee. Every now and again one of the three leaves the hall for a few moments to rest his voice, relieve himself, or handle a question of government. (They are the leaders of their tribes, after all.) No rules limit the amount of time a chieftain can be absent; he simply loses any opportunity to increase his standing in the trials while he’s away. Characters who spend the bulk of the day observing this trial learn a great deal about the Vanigoth, particularly tribal and personal histories. They gain a permanent +1 bonus to any future Intelligence (History) checks that involve the Vanigoth tribes. Over the course of the day, it becomes apparent that Winvani’s going to come out ahead on this one. His shrewd mind and quick wits eclipse Igudo almost immediately, and even Karimoryc seems unable to keep up with him. As the hours pass, Karimoryc grows more and more sullen, a reaction obvious even to observers — such as the characters — who don’t know him well. What the characters cannot yet know is that a slow panic is starting to set in. Karimoryc’s certainty has been badly shaken; he’s starting to face up to the very real possibility that he won’t be selected to lead the assembled Vanigoth tribes. Which is why, when he’s briefly pulled from the hall that evening and informed that one of the outsiders was caught snooping around his personal hut, his panic flares and he reacts with brutal violence. Gruesome Discoveries When the characters return to their guest quarters that night, Evienne is nowhere to be found. Of course, she’s often out doing her own thing, so

58 The Lost Lands: Adventures in the Borderland Provinces don’t bring this up unless the characters ask. If they do, they’re welcome to go out searching for her, in which case they’ll locate her in the dark, early hours of the morning. If they don’t go out searching, they are instead awakened a few hours after midnight by one of the Vanigoth, who claims he was sent to fetch them and demands they accompany him. In either event, read the following. Even the dim light of the cloud-smeared moon and stars cannot cloak the horror of the sight before you. In the grasses beyond the edge of town, among the fences that haven’t yet been taken down, lies the crumpled body of your missing companion. Several large stab wounds mar Evienne’s body, but far more disturbing is the drying blood that cakes the skin around her gaping — and empty — mouth. Her tongue is gone, apparently torn out at the root! Depending on who discovered the body, some of the Vanigoth may already be assembling here when the characters arrive; otherwise, they start to do so not long after the party discovers Evienne’s body. In either case, all three chieftains show up soon after. Following a quick flurry of questions and demands, the Rohalacs promise that they will begin asking around among their tribesmen, trying to figure out who murdered their guest — and that once the moot is concluded, they will make that investigation their priority, though until then, they still have other duties that will occupy much of their time. (Even Idugo seems furious at this violation of hospitality, though he still isn’t particularly friendly or sympathetic toward the outsiders.) The characters are welcome to ask questions in the interim, but they haven’t the right to subject anyone to full-on interrogation, magical examination, or the like. Karimoryc suggests that the characters return to their quarters and get a good night’s sleep — perhaps setting watch to ensure that none of them suffer the same fate. Day Four The penultimate day of a Crucible of Blood is supposed to be the day when the important decision (in this case, the establishment of a new regional Rohalac) is brought to order and voted upon. This done, the Vanigoth will hold a massive evening celebration called the “Mootfeast” to officially ring in the new order; in this case a giant barbarian party in the new Rohalac’s honor. That is what’s supposed to happen on the penultimate day of the event. Instead, everyone wakes up to find Karimoryc and all the warriors he could muster gone from camp; those who saw them depart report that they were headed east. He knows he has overplayed his hand, and in so doing, lost his bid to win the title of Rohalac legitimately (he is behind even Idugo at this point in the proceedings). One final dream consult with Zemicek has convinced him that the only thing he can do is take his men and ride hard for Caerboar Hall and Zemicek’s cavern complex, nearby. Karimoryc knows that once the ogre mage’s latest ritual sacrifice is complete, and the rangers are no more, and the Hall is theirs… well, it won’t matter who the gathered tribes have declared as their new regional Rohalac. He’s going to take it all. Without the additional men Karimoryc would have had at his command had he won the title himself, the battle is going to be that much harder, but he’s convinced that his is a life of destiny and that together with the help of Zemicek’s forces and magics, they can only prevail over the rangers. And if the characters don’t find out what’s happening and convince the remaining barbarian tribes to ride out against their own cousins, they almost certainly will. The Ogreblood’s Tale Since it’s highly unlikely that a player character has learned what’s been going on in Karimoryc’s private dreamspace by now, there’s really only one way to reliably confirm for the characters not only what’s really been happening the whole time, but also where Karimoryc and his men have just gone: Idugo. Outside of Karimoryc’s own kin, one of the only people in the world who knows about Karimoryc’s ogrish blood is Idugo. In addition, Karimoryc wasn’t the first ogre-blooded chieftain Zemicek “approached” in his sleep. Idugo was. And during those brief exchanges, before Zemicek gave up and moved on to Karimoryc, Idugo learned a great deal more than the ogre mage realizes. If and when the characters think to ask Idugo about Karimoryc’s loyalties or whereabouts, he will demur if questioned directly. (He still doesn’t like or trust them.) If they convince Winvani to approach Idugo, however, that will prove much more successful, as Idugo certainly trusts and respects his fellow tribal chieftain (even if he is a little small for a Vanigoth leader, thinks Idugo). Getting information from the slow, ornery, and not remotely talkative (and likely hungover) Idugo is difficult, but with Winvani’s help, the collected group can get the following out of him. (It’s not required, but if the GM wants to call for relevant social skill checks during this process, these pieces of information can be offered up as results of those same rolls.) DC 10: Some sinister force came to Idugo in dreams some time ago, entreating him to bring glory and honor to his people, who have lived in shame lo these many years since the battle at Broch Tarna which ended the Wilderlands Clan War. This being seemed to speak directly to his blood, and did indeed stir his passion to raise the Vanigoth. DC 12: Being “no fool” (his words), Idugo pressed this being for a sense of what he wanted to conspire to accomplish, specifically. The being responded by showing him a momentary image of a citadel in a valley between two mountains, and whispering the words, “It begins here.” DC 14: During their second dreamtime exchange, Idugo asked the being how it intended to help the Vanigoth beyond selecting targets for them that might be considered militarily problematic. The being pointed out their connection as proof of its power, and further offered to help Idugo claim the title of regional Rohalac, which would put numerous additional tribes at his command. DC 16: He wasn’t being testy with Karimoryc just because they were rivals for the title of Rohalac. Once his own dreamtime visitations ceased, he started to wonder if maybe Karimoryc hadn’t also been approached. (He never saw anything that could be construed as proof, but he has strong gut feelings.) DC 18: During their final dreamtime exchange, Idugo challenged the being to tell him how it could help the Vanigoth ride to victory over the men of the plains when they failed years before. The being whispered, “Just as your kin will rally to your bloody banner, so too will mine rally to mine. Together, we shall all ride out from the mountains like an avalanche Players Are Stubborn It’s possible that the players decide not to return to their quarters, but to investigate through the remainder of the night. If so, the Vanigoth object to being awakened (or kept from their beds), but under the circumstances are willing to answer a basic array of questions. All of them, however, express ignorance as to what happened or who is responsible. Any attempts at spellcasting or in-depth interrogation without one of the chieftains present are met with hostility. If the characters don’t go to sleep, they can’t awaken to discover that Karimoryc and many of his warriors have left. In that case, feel free to let them witness the Rohalac and his men riding off, along with some of the other Vanigoth. If they attempt to pursue, half a dozen to a dozen of Karimoryc’s men attack them, seeking to buy time for their chief to make his exit. If nothing else, this should keep the characters from leaving long enough for Idugo and Winvani to be awakened and to demand answers and discussion from the characters as they try to determine what’s just happened. At this point, continue with “Day Four” as written.

59 The Two Crucibles of human suffering.” At this, Idugo stole a brief glimpse of a wind-scarred cliff face, a yawning opening in its side. The look of the rock was very similar to that which he saw framing the citadel in his vision. All of this, together with the fact that Karimoryc and his men all rode east, which is the direction of Caerboar Hall, should be enough to clue the characters in on what’s about to happen. For his part, Idugo is finished with Karimoryc, believing him a fool. (“If he wants to go throw himself at Caerboar, let him. He’ll be a dead man.”) He is therefore stridently against any intervention in Karimoryc’s plan, as he believes it will have no blowback on him or his people; indeed, he thinks the only way to avoid guilt by association is to stay out of it entirely, and let Karimoryc and his tribe take the blame. No one but Karimoryc knows of Zemicek’s plans for his latest ritual, which makes the prospect of heeding Idugo’s advice that much more perilous. Thankfully, Winvani doesn’t need to know that extra bit of bad news to know that his people stand the best chance of coming out of this unscathed and uninvaded by kingdom forces if they ride out and actively stand with the rangers of Caerboar. Winvani is worried that Stronghold Hjerrin will use the incident to martial a wider-scale assault on the Vanigoths from the Kingdom of Suilley, and he’s likely right. And it doesn’t hurt that Winvani is both enraged at Karimoryc and eager to prove himself in battle — the final remaining test for him as a worthy regional Rohalac. Caverns Forlorn Just as Idugo described it, there’s a mountain with a wind-swept cliff face not too far from the valley where Caerboar Hall lies. During the ride from Aen Fathorr to the valley, Winvani suggests the following plan of action: Winvani and his men will ride on to Caerboar Hall, catching the traitorous Karimoryc and his men in a pincer and forcing them to fight a war on two fronts against the Hall’s defenses and their kin. Meanwhile, the adventurers will make their way to the cavern complex of which Idugo spoke, hoping to rid Karimoryc of whatever arcane assistance/malady has been driving his ambition the whole time. If both groups are successful, the threat will be ended and Caerboar Hall will remain secure. 1. Sinister Adit The ascent to the entrance to Zemicek’s cavern complex isn’t too difficult, especially for those who have any climbing gear whatsoever. The closer they get to the mouth of the cave opening, however, the more ill at ease they’ll feel — especially characters of pronounced faith (e.g., clerics, paladins, monks, druids). There’s no particular feel or flavor to this unease (“Hey, what smells like demon?”), but that only serves to make them more uneasy. Once they get within a few yards, it becomes clear that the adit appears as a leering face, the opening like a gaping mouth twisted into a grimace by the shape and weight of the surrounding stone. The characters have never seen anything like it, and each one who passes through this otherwise unguarded and untrapped opening must make a DC 14 Wis save (characters of pronounced faith suffer a –1 penalty to their roll.) Failure imposes a –1 penalty to all attack rolls and saving throws for as long as that character remains within. Receiving a remove curse spell will alleviate this effect. 2. The Forlorn Doormen This yawning cavern represents the inner sanctum’s first line of defense. It contains a pair of cyclopes — the first of many, if Zemicek has anything to say about it — who were drawn to the ogre mage’s growing court after the latter sacrificed his own eye to the Cauldron of Dreams. The giantkin’s names are Othu and Urral, and they are loyal on a level that most intelligent beings could never even comprehend. Othu and Urral are pledged to the defense of the chamber at the entrance of which they stand guard, and intruders will descend that tunneled stair only and literally over their dead bodies. Cyclops (2): AC 14; HP 138 (12d12+60); Spd 30ft; Melee greatclub (+9, 10ft., 3d8+6 bludgeoning); Ranged rocks (+9, 30ft/120ft, 4d10+6 bludgeoning); SA multiattack (greatclub x2); Str +6, Dex +0, Con +5, Int –1, Wis –2, Cha +0; Senses poor depth perception (tactical disadvantage on ranged attacks beyond 30ft); AL CN; CR 6; XP 2,300. Equipment: greatclub, 3 big rocks. 3. Grim Larder Spinning off from the darkened tunnel is a chamber better left unseen by human eyes. This is where Zemicek and his ogre-blooded men deposit their various non-monetary winnings from raids and the like. Inside the cavern floor is slick and sticky. Organized into loose sections composed largely of piles are the remnants of the cargo from Paster Sturgess’ caravan (now mostly ruined or eaten), as well as whatever food has yet to be eaten, but which isn’t kept in Area 5: Animal pens. In this case, that means the remnants of two of the caravan’s merchants: Gillia Tenberry and Peraulto Vaen. The former is dead, but still largely coherent in form; her body rests on a cold stone slab, for better keeping until her killers can cut it up into sections for meals. Of the latter, however, there isn’t much left. They’ve already started in on him, and what remains of Peraulto Vaen (head, one limb, lower torso) has been stuffed haphazardly into a wooden barrel in the corner. Characters who run in this room must make DC 12 Dex saves or fall prone. 4. Oubliette (not shown on map) In addition to being dank and dark, this cavern does not smell good. In fact, it’s pretty wretched. The cavern floor is slick with who-knows-what, making footing difficult. Characters who move faster than a slow walk must make DC 12 Dex saves or fall prone. At the far end of the chamber, set into the cavern floor with a groove for run-off, is a roughly 15ft radius shallow grave for those unfortunate enough to meet their ends at the hands of Zemicek and his hungry kin. This grim collection of human bone, blood, viscera, and effluvia includes the bloated remains of those the ogre mage drowned or otherwise gave up in offering to the Cauldron of Dreams (see below) — bodies fished out, their purpose served, and dumped here thereafter. Literally inside and amongst the remains are 4 insect swarms. Fattened on the tainted flesh and blood of those claimed by the Cauldron, these swarms are also considered fiendtouched. Those disturbing the remains in any way get swarmed, as a flood of locusts and a carpet of poisonous centipedes emerges to embrace them, and the same thing happens if anyone fails a Dexterity save and falls anywhere in the chamber. Two of the swarms are locust swarms (a new swarm variant) and two are centipede swarms. Each swarm has the statistics listed in addition to its own insect type-specific characteristics. (For more on the Fiendtouched template, see sidebar.) Fiendtouched Insect Swarm (4): AC 12; HP 138 (12d12+60); Spd 30ft; Melee bite (+3, one target in swarm’s space, 4d4 piercing [2d4 if swarm has fewer than half hit points); Resistance bludgeoning, fire, piercing, slashing; Immune charm, fright, paralysis, petrify, poison, prone, restraint, stun; Str –4, Dex +1, Con +0, Int –5, Wis –2, Cha –5; Senses blindsight 10ft., darkvision 120ft; Traits fiendish adaptation (see sidebar), swarm; AL NE; CR 1/2; XP 100. Centipede Swarm (2): A creature reduced to 0 hit points by a swarm of centipedes is stable but poisoned for 1 hour, even after regaining hit points, and paralyzed while so poisoned. Locust Swarm (2): A swarm of locusts has a walking speed of 5ft, a flying speed of 20ft, and no climbing speed. A creature hit by a locust swarm’s bite attack only suffers 1d4 damage, but is sickened by plague for 1 hour and can’t regain hit points during that time unless it succeeds on a DC 11 Con saving throw. Technically, there’s a second way out of this chamber — the trap door in the ceiling through which Zemicek dumps new remains — but it’s only

60 The Lost Lands: Adventures in the Borderland Provinces

61 The Two Crucibles accessible and unlockable from above. Forcing the issue from the ceiling of this room requires not only that someone be able to exert strength while floating/perched right under the gate, but also succeed in a DC 25 Str (Athletics) check. 5. Animal Pens This chamber contains some of the only actual interior structure or real design the characters have yet seen. Moving into the cavern, which has the same cold but slick look and feel as most of the rest of the place, they observe that a long iron grate has been set up all along one side of the chamber, effectively cutting it off from the rest of the cavern and the complex beyond. Within this space additional smaller grates have been driven into the floor and ceiling, trifurcating the area into three distinct cells. One of these cells is empty. The second contains the body of a dog, recently dead from some combination of exposure and mistreatment. The third cell contains the final captive from Paster Sturgess’ doomed caravan — Bromley Fitzhubert (male human noble) — who is very much alive. As a corpulent merchant with no weapons and no combat skill, he is of course terrified out of his mind, knowing he is merely awaiting his grisly death and consumption by monsters. What old Fitzy doesn’t know is that what little water he’s been given by his captors so far was water ladled directly from the Cauldron of Dreams. The man isn’t evil (yet), and no amount of interrogation (mundane or arcane) will reveal anything untoward about the sweaty merchant, but if the characters release him and bring him back to civilization without seeing him taken to a temple or other holy group for copious ritual blessing and curse removal, he will almost certainly go on to become one of the most powerful and zealous heretical clerics of Fraz-Urb’luu the kingdom’s ever seen. For now, though, he’s just a frightened man who is delighted to see a friendly face. 6. The Dreaming Guard If the characters have gotten this far they’re a real threat to Zemicek. He has ordered his personal cadre of fiendtouched ogrillon enforcers, called the Dreaming Guard, to hold the line here, hoping they’ll dispatch anyone strong enough to win through to him. Since all of the one-eyed members of the Dreaming Guard can see in pitch darkness, that’s the state of affairs when the characters arrive. The GM is encouraged to use this to the ogrillons’ best advantage during the inevitable combat. Fiendtouched Half-Ogre (11): AC 14; HP 30 (4d10+8); Spd 30ft; Melee axe (+5, reach 5 ft., 2d8+3 slashing or 2d10+3 if two-handed); Ranged javelin (+3, 30ft/120ft, 2d6+3 piercing); Resistance fire; Immune poison; Str +3, Dex +0, Con +2, Int –2, Wis –1, Cha +0; Senses darkvision 120ft.; Traits fiendish adaptation (see Fiendtouched sidebar); AL CE; CR 1; XP 200. Equipment: hide armor, axe, 3 javelins; 1 ogrillon (leader) has a ring of regeneration. A search of the room and the bodies yields 63gp, 21sp and 25cp. Apart from the ogrillon leader’s magic ring, there is nothing else of value or interest in the cavern… excepting, of course, the lone cavern entrance to Zemicek’s private chambers. 7. Chamber of Dreams The first thing you notice about this chamber is the steam. It’s everywhere, but seems to rise from a centrally located source toward the back of the cavern space. It’s exceptionally warm in here, and something about the place makes the hair on the back of your neck stand on end. Peering into the chamber, you see now that the source of the steam is what looks like a hot fracture spring, taking the shape of a roughly circular pool of mist-covered water with a five-foot-high rim of stone encircling it. Rising from opposite sides of the natural pool is what appears to be an iron framework of some kind, forming two awkward gangways that meet in the middle on either end of a metal platform, seven feet in length, some eight to ten feet over the steaming waters. Laid carefully, almost reverently, atop this suspended plane is the body of a woman dressed in dark blue robes. Her blonde hair cascades down over the side of the dais, as though reaching for the water below. When the player characters enter the chamber, Zemicek is both invisible and ducked down behind the lip of the pool, near a hidden release mechanism for the suspended apparatus. Ideally, one or more of the intruders ascend the frame and attempt to examine or recover Matilder’s supine body, but if none of them braves the ascent (or whenever a character touches or enters the waters, whichever comes first) the ogre mage forces the issue by triggering the release lever. The characters have just enough time to register what’s happening before his darkness ability drops, bathing the entire chamber in magical darkness (which of course he and his familiar can see through). When this happens, the DM can read the following secondary text to the players. Suddenly, the entire apparatus gives way, and with a squeal of metal, plunges into the steaming waters below! There’s just enough time to see the priestess’ supine form slip fully beneath the surface before everything goes dark. Any character actually on the platform with Matilder’s body when it plummets may attempt a DC 24 Dex save to leap to the edge of the pool, and thence to the solid ground beyond. Any character on the frame but not yet on the dais itself can make a more manageable DC 16 Dex save to do the same. (For the complete effects of taking a dip in the Cauldron, see the “Drowning in Dreams” sidebar.) Regardless, once the frame has collapsed and Matilder’s body (and hopefully one or more characters) is submerged, Zemicek takes advantage of the chaos to launch his offensive against any party members who stand free of the steaming waters. If he can catch one or more characters standing atop the grate that covers the oubliette chamber (room 4), he’ll trigger that lever, too, sending those characters down into the muck below unless they succeed in a DC 16 Dex save to get clear. Starting in the second round after the oni engages directly, his mephit familiar Hiss emerges from hiding and blasts as many party members as it can with its steam breath power. (It spends the first round casting blur.) The round after that, it summons 2 more steam mephits from the mists to harry the adventurers. These two mephits cannot in turn summon more New Template: Fiendtouched An aberration, beast, humanoid, giant, monstrosity, or plant can potentially become fiendtouched. When a being becomes fiendtouched it retains its statistics except as noted below. Senses: The creature gains darkvision with a radius of 120ft. Resistance: The creature gains resistance to any one of the following damage types: cold, fire, lightning, or psychic. Immunity: The creature gains immunity to the poisoned condition. Language: If the creature uses language, it speaks either Abyssal or Infernal (depending on the nature of its fiendishness) in addition to any other languages it knows. New action: Fiendish Adaptation (recharge 6): The creature gains resistance to one of the attack forms listed under Resistance (to which it is not already resistant) as a reaction to being hit with an attack that would do damage of the appropriate type. This resistance lasts for the duration of combat, or until this ability recharges and changes to a different type.

62 The Lost Lands: Adventures in the Borderland Provinces mephits, and if they are still around 10 rounds later, they spontaneously wink out of existence in a puff of steam. Zemicek, Greater Ogre Mage (Oni): AC 17; HP 178 (17d10+85); Spd 30ft, fly 30ft; Melee claw (+10, 1d8+6 slashing), glaive (+10, reach 10ft, 2d10+6 slashing, or 1d10+6 slashing in Small or Medium form); SA innate spells (Cha+9, DC 17), multiattack (4 claw or glaive); Immunity poison; Resistance fire; Str +6, Dex +0 (+4), Con +5 (+9), Int +2, Wis +1 (+5), Cha +5 (+9); Skills Arcana +6, Deception +9, Perception +5; Senses darkvision 120ft; Traits change shape (as an action, Zemicek polymorphs into a Small or Medium humanoid, Large giant, or back to his true form), fiendish adaptation (5–6), magic weapons, poor depth perception (tactical disadvantage on ranged attacks beyond 30ft), regeneration (regains 10 hit points at the start of his turn if he has at least 1 hit point); AL LE; CR 11; XP 7200. (Monster Appendix) Innate Spells: at will—darkness, fire bolt, invisibility; 1/ day—charm person, cone of cold, gaseous form, misty step, sleep. Equipment: fetish necklace of Zemicek, skin armor, glaive. Hiss: AC 12; HP 21 (6d6); Spd 30ft, fly 30ft; Melee claw (+3, 1d4 slashing plus 1d4 fire); SA steam breath (15 ft cone of steam, 1d8 fire, DC 10 Dex half); Immunity fire, poison; Str +0, Dex +2, Con +0, Int +0, Wis +0, Cha +1; Skills Perception +4, Stealth +6; Senses darkvision 60ft; Traits death burst (explodes in cloud of steam on death, hitting adjacent creatures, 1d8 fire, DC 12 Dex negates), innate spell (Cha), summon mephits (1/day, summons 2 steam mephits within 60ft); AL NE; CR 1/4; XP 50. Innate Spells: 1/day—blur Dropping Zemicek below 17 hp triggers his survival instinct, and the oni tries to make good his escape via a combination of flight, darkness, invisibility, and misty step. Treasure: Once the ogre mage and his mephits are gone, the party can search the room. Zemicek was no fool, and he hid the bulk of his wealth in a sealed cask affixed to the wall inside the pool; if the characters want to drag it out (or attach something to it by which they might accomplish same), someone has to reach into the water. Inside the cask are 300cp, 900sp, 850gp, and 420pp; 12 gems (200gp each), a potion of supreme healing, a ring of fire resistance, and a +2 battleaxe. Concluding the Adventure If the characters kill or remove Zemicek from his cavern complex for any length of time, the particular threat he posed to the lands of civilized men ends, too. Without having a chance to fully partake in the Cauldron’s power (and give up an eye in the process), and bereft of the mystical The Cauldron of Dreams is the second “crucible” of the adventure’s title, the source of the ogre mage’s great power, and the source of his great woe. At first Zemicek mistook it for a simple hot spring, bubbling up from the darkness of the mountain’s underbelly and warming the network of caverns above. At first he mistook the absence of monstrous and mortal competition for these otherwise desirable living conditions as a sign of certitude in his newfound purpose, of the rightness of his arrival as destiny made manifest. Soon enough, however, the experienced occultist recognized that the swirling pool of misty water was not only a great deal more than it seemed, but also the reason why every other living thing for leagues chose to steer clear of that particular network of caverns. Put plainly, the true nature of the Cauldron of Dreams is a disturbing thing. Some places in the world are effectively windows looking out upon vistas of eternal evil in the Ginnungagap — not active and open portals, but rather what one might regard as the next best/worst thing: places of powerful sympathy with a specific demonic force or demonic influence. This particular site reeks with the sympathetic potency of deception and insidious influence, and is the means by which the demon prince Fraz-Urb’luu can extend his reach, his ineffable will, and considerable demonic power into the stuff of the Material Plane. Faces in the Mist When Zemicek performs his rituals before the Cauldron, the steam rising from its surface intensifies and eventually produces visions — sometimes of the shadowy face of his demonic liege, but often of whatever person the oni wishes to observe. Before long he found that the more he called upon (and gazed into) the Cauldron’s mists, the stronger his oracular power grew, and it soon became apparent to him that the nature of the phenomenon allowed a skilled arcanist to work the pool like a well, plumbing its darkened depths for buckets of golden power. And this, Zemicek did, and to great success… for a time. Soon enough, his breakthrough occurred and he accepted the fact that if he were to grow any more powerful — if he had a chance of growing as powerful as he and his minions would have to grow in order to accomplish what a larger number of his kind could not accomplish a decade before — the relationship between himself and the Cauldron would have to change. Sacrifices would have to be made. The Cauldron’s Power When he offered up a cave rat, scalding it in the mists before drowning it, Zemicek gained for a time the ability to scry (by way of those mists) areas of his own cavern network, even when there was no soul on which to home in. When he offered up some of his own blood to the Cauldron, spilled in steaming droplets across its surface, he discovered he could enter the dreams of any creature with even a drop of ogrish blood — could watch those dreams unfold in real time, for a time. And when he sacrificed his own eye in offering, scraping it out and leaving a scar trailing from just below the eye socket to the side of his forehead near the temple, he gained the ability to not merely enter the dreams of any being with ogrish blood, but to actually interact with that being there, in its dreams. And for his permanent sacrifice, he gained this ability permanently. Immediately after confirming the power of the bargain he’d struck, Zemicek called in what remained of his loyal tribal followers — a couple dozen ogrillon and half as many ogres — and one by one, performed upon them a ritual intended to honor the same bargain, and thereby increase the power of his house-in-exile. They are all marked by its power now, all manifesting the same loss of an eye and livid diagonal scar through its socket. As reflected in his statistics block, the Cauldron has made Zemicek both moderately tougher than the average ogre mage and a slightly more potent natural arcanist. In addition, he and all of his men received the Fiendtouched template (see sidebar), which renders them immune to poison, resistant to fire, and adaptive to other fiend-related sources of injury. The Cauldron cannot be cleansed, exorcised, or destroyed. As the local inhabitants learned long ago, the best course of action is to make sure anything sentient steers well clear of it. Forever. The Cauldron of Dreams

63 The Two Crucibles support it would have given them, the remnants of Karimoryc’s tribe are routed by Caerboar Hall’s forces fighting alongside Vanigoths loyal to Winvani. Whether Karimoryc himself dies, surrenders to the Bristleback rangers, or escapes to fight another day remains in the GM’s hands. What is almost certain is that the assembled Vanigoth name Winvani as their new regional Rohalac, and depending on how everyone plays it, he could become either a shrewd ally or a formidable foe to the people of Suilley down the line. For their part, the characters have just done not one, but two favors for the government and people of Suilley (in foiling Zemicek’s scheme and in gathering days’ worth of valuable intelligence and social data on the Vanigoth), and neither Stronghold Hjerrin nor the Shadowguards are likely to forget any time soon — which could, of course, lead to further adventures in and around the Kingdom of Suilley. It’s too late to save Matilder’s life, but if the party cares enough it can retrieve her corpse and bring it to an actual temple of Freya (or even just any lone cleric of Freya the characters can find). Once her soul has been blessed by same, it is no longer tainted by the deception of Fraz-Urb’luu and is free to enjoy its afterlife in peace. Actually going through this process should earn each player character an unexpected bonus of 500 XP for doing the right thing by the priestess. Drowning in Dreams The Cauldron of Dreams is bad news for souls who merely come in contact with those who have been in its presence. For those who actually fall into its waters? The nightmare is something else. If any part of a character not bound to the Cauldron (e.g., Zemicek) is submerged in the pool during a round, that character suffers 2d10 damage (half fire damage, half psychic damage). In addition, that character must make a DC 16 Wis saving throw. What happens as a result depends on whether or not the character is already a priest of some kind (cleric levels count, certainly, but levels in druid, monk, and/or paladin would likely count, too). Priest: If a priest of faith touches the steaming waters, that person has a vision of coming face to face with his deity, spirit, or other divinity. This deity or force chastises the character for his impiety, intemperance, weakness in the face of evil — whatever guilt will work the best). If the priest makes the Wis saving throw, nothing happens to his soul. If he fails, he loses a single spell slot (or point of ki) from his total for one week thereafter, as those blessings are instead transferred as sweet ambrosia to the waiting maw of the demon prince Fraz-Urb’luu. Non-priest: When a non-priest is submerged in the Cauldron’s waters, that person also experiences a vision of coming face to face with a benevolent or neutral divinity of that player’s choice. This deity or force tells the person of the great evil loosed in the world, and exhorts the person to get involved, to walk a righteous path of faith and service. If the person makes the saving throw, nothing happens to his soul. If he fails, he feels a calling to the priesthood, one that intensifies after he leaves the Cauldron’s presence; the more failed saves, the stronger the calling. This calling urges the character to take on cleric levels in the name of whatever deity or force appeared to him; if he does, he’ll gain all the usual traits and spells, but he’ll be a heretical cleric — one whose prayers actually go toward nourishing and empowering a demon prince. Note that this saving throw must be repeated every round a character remains submerged, whether drowning or not, and effects accumulate. If a character dies while submerged the effects are permanent, even if the character is later brought back to life. At that point, only a wish will return the resurrected soul to its former state.

64 The Lost Lands: Adventures in the Borderland Provinces The War of the Poppies is a politics and intrigue-based adventure intended for 10th-level characters. It is likely to take several sessions, though it could be completed in one or could be extended into an entire campaign in its own right. The story centers on the simple, greedy plan of a drug dealer to sell magically-fortified opium in the kingdom of Suilley, and the unintended consequences that result. Adventure Background Brilliant blue poppies sway in the breeze, innocent of the havoc they wreak on the streets of Manas, the capital and economic center of the kingdom of Suilley. Bloodthirsty gangs fight over the opium trade, vying to control the flow of the poppy paste, but as with all situations of chaos, it is those who can see the patterns who manage to rise above the fray. One such man is Monjerrat the Bookkeeper, a quiet, clever opium merchant. Realizing that no one in Manas has the resources or knowledge to bring together the various warring factions, Monjerrat has contacted the Friendly Men, a much larger organized crime syndicate with experience in such matters. He has formed a partnership with Sir Brodovic of Tilny, their chief agent in Manas, in an effort to bring the opium trade under a single organized front. Brodovic has contracted the services of the Smoky Flowers, a local group of thugs, to do the dirty work of the organization. The Smoky Flowers eliminate or cow Monjerrat’s rivals, provide a protection racket, and perform other unsavory duties. Brodovic manages their practical affairs, while Monjerrat keeps track of the books. Had Monjerrat and Brodovic been content to limit their interests to the sale of legal opium — along with illegal, but standard, protection rackets — they would not likely have drawn much attention. They took a step over the line, however, when they decided to cultivate a magical strain of poppy that produced a much more addictive form of opium. This drug has been named “blue angel” due to the blue-gray veins that pulse like wings on either side of the eyes of its users, as well as in the flowers themselves. Some addicts descend into delirium after only a few uses, useless husks, devoid of the will to live. The distant Palatine County of Toullen cares little about opium dealings in the Kingdom of Suilley, or they would, if it were not for the recent disappearance of three young Toullenese nobles. This is where our adventure begins. The Tournament of Lilies in Tertry (capital of the Palatine County of Toullen), ended approximately two months ago. The Tournament is the most prestigious jousting event in the Borderland Provinces, and the sponsors of victorious jousters gain significant political, social, and economic clout when their champions become famous. The tournament consists of a number of separate competitions (for specific details of the competitions, see The Borderland Provinces, Chapter 10: The County of Toullen), the most prestigious of which are the Crown of Lilies and the Count’s Tournament. The former is a competition open to those of any realm, whereas the latter is an elite, local affair. Following the Tournament, three of the most successful participants went on a celebratory “tour” of the nearby realms — an opportunity to sow wild oats before taking on important responsibilities, and also a chance to learn about the County’s neighboring regions. What is particularly The War of the Poppies

65 The War of the Poppies important is that the youths were not just of the nobility — they are from the very pinnacle of Toullenese nobility, related directly to some of the most powerful and influential people in the realm. The youths made their way north from Tertry, stopping at various taverns, inns, gambling halls and the like. Although they are generally good natured, it is important to keep in mind that these are, nevertheless, teenagers, and their judgment can prove lacking. Along the way, they learned of an opium dealer in Manas by the name of Monjerrat the Bookkeeper. In the city of Olaric, they managed to slip away from the knights and soldiers escorting them and rode for Manas, assuming new names and trying to make themselves look like ordinary folk (not with much success, but enough to foil the pursuit by their protectors). With assumed names and lots of coin, they found their way quickly into the seedy underworld of drugs, drinking, and gambling in Manas — including the Five Cups, the largest of the blue angel opium dens controlled by Monjerrat the Bookkeeper. Within a matter of days, all four youths were out of money, for the “blue angel” was incredibly expensive and its abusers often have little control over or awareness of money. Monjerrat the Bookkeeper, the mastermind behind the development of the blue angel strain, knew that some obviously incognito nobles were asking about opium, but left town for Sir Brodovic’s manor during the nobles’ first night in Manas, to inspect the poppy fields. In point of fact, he specifically gave Luther Smile, the owner of the Five Cups Inn, instructions to cut the nobles loose to avoid trouble. Even though Monjerrat didn’t know the extreme high rank of the three foreign youths, he knew they were high enough in the nobility to cause trouble if anything happened to them. Missing young nobles are followed by people with swords and lots of experience using them. Smile ignored the order, bearing a grudge against all nobles and now having some about to fall into his power. He wished to see the youths brought low by the opium, knowing that the Smoky Flowers would take them without question as soon as they ran out of money. That is exactly what happened. The four youths ran out of gold, and, separated from their escorts, were unable to avoid their fate. They were rounded up by the Smoky Flowers, along with several other addicts, and taken off to work the opium fields in the Tilny Hills, the site of Sir Brodovic’s manor. Before sending them, Smile made sure to strip all the accoutrements of their noble lives. They appeared no better than the average street urchin: filthy, emaciated, sunken, and starved. For the past several weeks, they have been housed in an outbuilding next to Sir Brodovic of Tilny’s manor house in the Tilny Hills. Smile is now the only individual who knows the fate of the three youths. Monjerrat and Sir Brodovic are completely unaware that three of the filthy opium workers happen to be the rich nobles they saw weeks ago in Manas. Neither Monjerrat, Brodovic, nor any of the Smoky Flowers knew the real identities of the nobles, who were traveling under assumed names. Two months have passed since the youths embarked on their celebratory tour following their victories at the Tournament of Lilies, and their escorts have returned after a frantic search, to report that they lost touch with their charges in Olaric. Cyrilinde the Lance, sister of Count Luthien, has realized she needs to track them down, for they are politically important individuals (one, indeed, is her own god-daughter). If they were kidnapped, the ransoms would be very large, and although the young scions of the high nobility probably know very little about their various family politics, what they do know could certainly be embarrassing, or even useful to enemies of the Palatine County. She has started inquiries into the disappearance of the young jousters using the varied resources of Ruthenvais the Fair (High Priest of Thyr in the City of Tertry), the underworld contacts of Parale Greenguild (Guildmaster of Thieves in Tertry), the law enforcement and military connections of Lord Parzalon Mothcandle, as well as the considerable political resources of her own, to track down the three wayward youths. This group already knows that the youths got safely to the city of Olaric, in the County of Vourdon, and assume that they headed toward the city of Manas, capital of the Kingdom of Suilley, since divinations indicate that they are somewhere in that Kingdom. These divinations reveal that the youths are still alive, but not in good health and in significant danger. High Priest Ruthenvais insists that something is clouding his ability to locate them. GMs are advised to read the entire adventure thoroughly before running it. The two ultimate objectives of the adventure are to bring the youths back safely and possibly to influence the regulation of opium in the Kingdom of Suilley. It is possible that the PCs might come up with an entirely different solution than any presented here. The most important thing for GMs to be in this adventure is flexible. It is not best solved by brute force, a few powerful spells, or magic items, though there are times when these prove useful. Many of the social encounters in this adventure are presented as a series of commonly asked questions. This is not meant to indicate that the encounters are entirely scripted. These exchanges are simply there to provide answers to questions PCs are likely to ask. Use the background provided by the NPCs to engage the PCs in a three-dimensional conversation, and adapt the encounter as you see fit. Part 1: Tertry The adventure starts in Tertry, the capital city of the County of Toullen (see The Borderland Provinces Chapter 10: County of Toullen). Cyrilinde and her allies are growing frustrated. They are an extraordinarily powerful group of people both politically and personally, but this is also the reason they cannot just go searching through a foreign countryside for three teenagers. The matter is also sensitive, requiring a great deal of discretion, something that their asking questions in other lands would make difficult. They need help from an outside party, and one resourceful, powerful, and discrete enough to get the job done without exposing them to potential scandal. This adventure assumes that the PCs have come to the attention of Cyrilinde and/or other members of the court, due to their valor, power, influence, and deeds. The party should be passing near the jousting grounds outside Tertry at the start of the adventure when they come across jousters in a dire predicament. The purpose of this encounter is to interject a combat opportunity into this relatively combat-light encounter, as well as to make the Lady Cyrilinde aware of the PCs as she considers a group to help solve her problem. Brilliant early afternoon sunshine streams through thick, swaying poplars that line the road leading to Tertry. A quick resupply after your recent endeavors would do you good, and Tertry has a reputation as a pleasant city. As you stop to admire the jousting fairgrounds, a whooshing wind ruffles your cloaks as a large red shape flies above you. Creatures: Hovering over the jousting grounds is the young red dragon, Daraktrikash the Scourge, about to unleash a gout of flame on two bumbling, battered knights. The knights are father and son, Sir Bervald and his son Sir Baragond, who were responsible for slaying the dragon’s mate, Tempateyroth, and commissioning her hide into red dragon scale mail, which Sir Baragond now wears. When they attacked her, they were with a larger group, they caught her sleeping, and the confined space Experience This adventure is quite freeform, and thus can prove challenging for GMs to adjudicate in terms of experience. If the PCs perform well, they should advance the equivalent of a full level. Assuming that the PCs started the adventure one-quarter of the way between 10th and 11th level, and the party was deemed successful, they should finish the adventure one-quarter of the way between 11th and 12th (adjust starting and ending points based on PCs’ actual experience totals). For exceptional roleplaying, creativity, and discretion, they might receive more experience, and for the opposite, they might receive less. In this regard, you are encouraged not to keep track of individual encounters during this adventure, but to treat each objective or accomplishment as a milestone of sorts.

66 The Lost Lands: Adventures in the Borderland Provinces was to their advantage. Daraktrikash wants revenge and has tracked them to this field, where he intends to destroy them, or die trying. The dragon is extremely verbose, taunting and threatening the knights, screeching about how they callously wear “his lover’s hide” as he breathes on them and viciously mauls them. Until and unless the PCs intervene, assume the two knights are primarily taking the Dodge action, struggling simply to survive until some hope presents itself. Daraktrikash the Scourge; AC 18; HP 178 (17d10+85); Spd 40ft, climb 40ft, fly 80ft; Melee bite (+10, reach 10ft, 2d10+6 piercing plus 1d6 fire), claw x2 (+10, 2d8+6 slashing); SA fire breath (recharge 5–6, 30ft cone, DC 17 Dex half, 16d6 fire), Multiattack; Immune fire; Str +6, Dex +0 (+4), Con +5 (+9), Int +2, Wis +0 (+4), Cha +4 (+8); Skills Perception +8, Stealth +4; Senses blindsight 30ft, darkvision 120ft, passive Perception 18; AL CE; CR 10; XP 5,900. Sir Bervald: AC 18; HP 52 (8d8+16); Spd 30ft; Melee greatsword x2 (+5, 2d6+3 bludgeoning); Ranged heavy crossbow (+2, 100ft/400ft, 1d10 piercing); SA Multiattack; Str +3, Dex +0, Con +2 (+4), Int +0, Wis +0 (+2), Cha +2; Senses passive Perception 11; Traits Father son spirit (as long as both Sir Bervald and Sir Baragond are conscious and adjacent to each other, they gain a +2 bonus to their AC; AL LN. Equipment: scale mail, club, light crossbow, 20 bolts, 20 gp. Sir Baragond: AC 19; HP 52 (8d8+16); Spd 30ft; Melee greatsword x2 (+5, 2d6+3 bludgeoning); Ranged heavy crossbow (+2, 100ft/400ft, 1d10 piercing); SA Multiattack; Resist fire; Str +3, Dex +0, Con +2 (+4), Int +0, Wis +0 (+2), Cha +2; Senses passive Perception 11; Traits Father son spirit (as long as both Sir Bervald and Sir Baragond are conscious and adjacent to each other, they gain a +2 bonus to their AC), advantage vs. Frightful Presence and dragon breath weapons, discern location of dragons; AL LN. Equipment: red dragon scale mail, club, light crossbow, 20 bolts, 20 gp. The knights, assuming they survive, bend over backwards in thanks to the PCs, insisting on presenting them with the most valuable item from the dragons’ horde, as their “share” of the treasure, the suit of red dragon scale mail. The knights then depart, after making another round of vociferously flowery pronouncements of gratitude. The Invitation By the time the PCs reach the city, the battle with the dragon has attracted the attention of the Lady Cyrilinde, who sends a messenger to invite them to an audience. Anyone who could best a red dragon is worthy of consideration in the difficult task she has before her. A messenger in the livery of a Toullenese servant approaches your group bearing an ornate envelope sealed with a red shield. A preserved pale pink lily is affixed into the wax, creating the impression of a lance crossing a heraldic crest. The servant inclines her head slightly in respect handing a note to [the PC with the highest Charisma score in the party]. She waits for your response. The document is a short invitation on heavy, expensive paper, written in an elegant yet simple script, in slate gray ink. Dear [insert character names here], I have heard of your great deed slaying the red dragon Daraktrikash the Scourge. It would please me greatly if you would join me at tea time in the Garden of the Ducks. I have a matter of significant import to discuss with you. Sincerely, Lady Cyrilinde of Tertry The PCs can make DC 12 Intelligence (History) checks to recognize the heraldry and name of Lady Cyrilinde, a famous warrior, champion jouster, and sister of the Count of Toullen. From nobility at this level, “It would please me greatly” is essentially the command at the level of royalty. Her reputation indicates that she is a woman of honor, who would not entreat the PCs to perform a task for her without reason and sincerity. If the PCs require significant motivation beyond this, the servant confirms that the lady is prepared to make it “worth their while.” Assuming they agree to meet with Lady Cyrilinde, the servant speaks before departing. Feel free to interrupt the box text between the servant’s dialog and the PCs’ approach to the palace, to allow the PCs to prepare, purchase equipment, or do whatever else they need. After you give your assent, the servant says, “Please approach the guards at the east gate of the palace at tea time. You will be escorted to the Garden of the Ducks for your meeting with the Lady Cyrilinde.” She nods to you, and then turns to go back toward the city. As you continue toward the palace, you can’t help but feel that the city seems fatigued. The massive jousting field outside the walls is mostly empty, though there are some diehard combatants training. Merchants hawk their wares and townsfolk go about their business, weaving between the many skywalk-linked towers and more humble thatchroofed wooden homes. It is a reasonably large city, but one that revolves around a single yearly event that passed a few months back. The guards at the east gate of the palace seem prepared for your arrival. The one to the right holds out his hand as if expecting to see the invitation. After he reviews the invitation, he gives a signal and the gates open. You are escorted by a pair of similarly attired guards to a sedate garden surrounding a small duck pond. A tall woman in a simple gown of rich fabric looks up from a book she is reading, saying to one of the guards, “That’ll be all, Alric. I’ll be fine from here.” All the guards and all but one of the servants retreat to corners of the garden. The woman possesses a distinctly military bearing, perhaps more at home on the battlefield than in court. “Please sit and enjoy the refreshments,” says the woman. “We have much to discuss.” Beneath a veranda, a large table is set with trays of sweets, a tea set, fresh fruit, and cheese. It is situated in front of a pond of ducks and swans, koi, tiny black-speckled red frogs, turtles, and egrets. Several small foot-bridges cross the pond, and a white swan boat sits at a small dock a few feet beyond the table. Pathways meander throughout the gardens, allowing strollers to bask in the scents of the many varieties of fragrant rose, lily, and dahlia. This is the Cyrilinde the Lance, sister of the Count, and the godmother of Vivica, one of the missing tournament winners. Cyrilinde is relatively young, but obviously very intelligent for her years, and has an imposing presence. Given that she is not only a fighter of legendary stature, but also a person that anyone in Toullen would die to defend, that sense of presence is not unjustified. The remaining servant pours tea for each of you as well as for Cyrilinde, and then steps away respectfully to join

67 The War of the Poppies the others. Cyrilinde smiles at you, but it is a grim smile, not reflected in her eyes. “Two months ago, after minor victories in several of the events at the Tournament of the Lilies, three young Toullenese nobles went on a victory tour to celebrate their achievements. This was meant to be a last hurrah before assuming a greater role in their social and familial responsibilities. They traveled to Olaric, and then to Manas, but after that we have been unable to determine their whereabouts. We expected them back home several weeks ago and have received no word from them. Before we go any further, I must emphasize how important discretion will be in the matters we are about to discuss. I will not be asking you to do anything evil, immoral, or reprehensible, but you will need to be discrete. The lives and reputations of many may be involved. Can I count on you to do everything in your power to protect the honor of those we discuss?” She looks each of you in the eye to judge your response. Common questions and answers are below. Again, remember that the PCs do not need to ask all of these, and that the conversation shouldn’t come across as an interrogation. The information is presented in this fashion for ease of reference, but you should present it as best fits the flow and role-play of the scene. Cyrilinde can volunteer information to common and obvious questions as part of the flow of conversation. For example, she will volunteer the information about the youths and transportation if the PCs don’t ask. Questions and Answers with Cyrilinde Question: What can you tell us about the young nobles? Answer: They are the Lady Vivica, my god-daughter; Sir Trincalium Mothcandle, son of Lord Parzalon Mothcandle who is Commander of the Guard of Tertry; and Lady Parnasaal, a young cousin to Ruthenvais the Fair, who is the High Priest of Thyr here in the city. Vivica won the Crown of Lilies in the last Tournament, and many believe her to be one of the Borderlands’ greatest jousters. Trin was fourth to Vivica in the Crown of Lilies and they are good friends. [She holds up a portrait of the three teenagers in tournament regalia, obviously painted at some time during the closing ceremonies]. Parnasaal didn’t participate in the jousting, but won a number of other contests, including archery and athletics. She hasn’t inherited her father’s religious zeal. They’re all good kids, for the most part. Occasionally foolish, as most youth can be, but none of them is particularly trouble-prone. I suppose Trin sometimes gets a little tonguetied, but what 18-year-old boy doesn’t? Question: What steps have already been taken to locate the youths? Answer: We have investigators out looking for them. We have contacted the authorities in major cities in Suilley and the largest towns on the South County Road. Our divinations have shown that they are still alive, but not in good health and in significant danger. Something seems to be interfering with the magic involved. We know they are somewhere in Suilley, but cannot narrow it down any further. Lord Parzalon has contacted Orlando Cormont, head of law enforcement in the City of Manas, alerting him to the situation in case the youths reached Manas before they disappeared. Question: Would anyone wish to harm the youths? Answer: Not for any reasons I can imagine. Certainly Lord Parzalon, Ruthenvais, and I have a few enemies of our own, but there is nothing in particular linking us together other than our children having been successful in the recent tournament. I suppose it’s possible that someone could be disgruntled at losing in the tournament, but no one seemed that upset at the time. Question: Can you provide assistance with transportation to Manas? Answer: Of course. We would have no difficulty finding someone to assist you in this. Once in Manas, if you speak to Orlando Cormont, Commander of the Corps of Wardens in Manas, he can arrange for transportation within Suilley during your investigation. Question: Why should we help you?/What’s in it for us?/Will we be compensated? Answer: I assumed that individuals of your caliber would benefit more from political favors and influence than material possessions. If something more specific is what you want, may each pick an item from the Count’s treasury after successfully bringing back the youths. A Second Conversation Cyrilinde doesn’t know much more than what she has shared with the PCs, but the same cannot be said of Parale Greenguild, who has suspicions about the nature of the disappearances. The nobles have called in favors to get the assistance of the Thieves Guild of Tertry in this matter, but when Parale undertakes a task, she pursues it fiercely. After Cyrilinde finishes answering their questions, Parale approaches the gathering, intent on having her part in the proceedings. Cyrilinde is aware that Parale is conducting her own, more “covert” investigations, and given Parale’s position as head of the Thieves Guild, prefers to be left out of such discussions. The dialog for Parale below is quite long, and it is quite possible that the PCs might interrupt her, and that is fine. Allow them to make inconsequential small talk with her, though she won’t discuss the matter at hand until she’s finished with everything she has to say. Just as the Lady Cyrilinde has answered the last of your questions, another woman glides up to the table. She provides a striking contrast to Cyrilinde. Whereas Cyrilinde is simple of dress and obviously dangerous, the newcomer is richly garbed, beautiful, and has an enchanting smile. Cyrilinde stands and turns to look at the newcomer. “Please allow me to introduce Parale Greenguild. She may have some additional matters to discuss with you. For now, I must take my leave. Good luck.” She walks off, her back and shoulders rigid, and Parale sits down. When she begins to talk, your extensive travels and experience suddenly give you a strong impression that this well-dressed noblewoman might actually be far more of a stone-cold killer than Cyrilinde the Jouster. “I imagine my Lady of the Lance has explained to you the basics of what has happened, so I will skip to what she hasn’t told you — either out of a misplaced sense of propriety or genuine ignorance. For months, Manas has been plagued by a war of gangs fighting over control of the opium trade coming out of the Tilny Hills. My sources in the city believe that factions in the underworld there have grown a new strain of the drug infused with magic, making it significantly more potent and more addictive. This, of course, changes the entire balance of power in their underground struggle, for obvious reasons. In Olaric, they talked to a traveling peddler named Honest Pyet. Pyet has a connection to the opium trade, and our three idiots slipped the leash the day after talking to him. The captain of the escort didn’t overhear the conversation with Pyet, and when I asked the Olaric thieves guild to look for him, he had disappeared. I don’t think dead, since no body turned up, but if he’s traveling the back roads of the County of Vourdon it will take a long time to find him. We might not have that time. This tells me, and everyone else disagrees, that this disappearance has something to do with opium. Why they couldn’t get it in Olaric, I don’t know. Probably because of the escorts being there. This is why discretion is so important. It means they are dealing with dangerous people, not just drinking in taverns under assumed names. It means that Toullen might be forced to take issue with the Kingdom of Suilley if these fools die, or get addicted. It means they are much more likely to spill some kind of information to someone who can use it, and who knows what secrets they’ve learned from their parents and uncles and aunts about diplomacy in Toullen. It could lead to the Kingdom of Suilley trying to regulate the opium trade more closely, possibly make the stuff illegal.” At this she frowns, and drums her fingers on the table,

68 The Lost Lands: Adventures in the Borderland Provinces suddenly thoughtful, looking off into the distance. Then she collects herself. “Oh, and it would ruin their lives, too, I expect. That would also be a shame.” So I would add one additional request on behalf of … another organization here in the city. Feel out the political climate in Manas surrounding the opium war. If possible, try to moderate it. This magically-enhanced opium is a problem, but the complete criminalization of normal opium would interrupt lots of mercantile activity, not to mention a valuable painkiller. There will be those arguing for both extremes. If you can act as a moderating force, keep the city to the least extreme path, you’ll have done a great service to a certain group of organizations—official and, ah, “informal,” both. These “organizations” are the thieves guilds of several cities and towns in the western provinces, guilds that would like to see the violence of the opium wars decrease, and possibly even have the substance regulated enough to come under their own influence. On the other hand, they have no desire to see the entire trade disappear, or to have their cities start digging around in the affairs of criminal underworlds looking for opium dealers. The cities might find things the thieves guilds would prefer stay secret. Parale is willing to stay and answer questions, though she does not wish to reveal too many of her own secrets. The questions below are ones she will answer in addition to what she’s already said. Everything else will result in the same answers the PCs already have. Questions and Answers with Parale Question: Who are you? Answer: Not anyone important. Let’s say that I’m someone with friends. Lots of friends. I’m offering you my friendship, too. Isn’t that wonderful? We can all be friends. I suggest it. I wouldn’t have so many friends if it weren’t such a good idea to be my friend. In fact, if you run into trouble in Manas, ask for a fellow named Casmir Dark. He’s the guildmaster of thieves in Manas. He’s a friend of mine. Question: What can you tell us about the young nobles? Answer: I think my sister covered most of the important details. I can confirm that they weren’t involved in anything anyone would consider the least bit questionable prior to leaving Tertry. Question: What are you doing to find them? Answer: I have means at my disposal that my sister does not, which you may have surmised. I am conversing with people, and will continue to do so. Question: Would anyone wish to harm the youths? Answer: I highly doubt it. It is far more likely that they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Question: What’s in it for us? Answer: There are many rewards that might be of interest to individuals of your caliber. Of course, I could offer you monetary reward or objects of magical power. Perhaps you would prefer a favor from the less savory “powers” of the Borderlands? In the event that you should find yourself in trouble with the wrong sort of people, such a favor might come in handy. Part 2: Manas The PCs are provided with good horses if they need any, and a letter of authority signed by the Count Palatine of Toullen. This letter will get them through virtually any legal difficulty all the way from Tertry to Manas. It also allows the PCs to change horses at most large inns along the way, and their overland speed from Tertry to Manas will be doubled as a result. They also have a letter from the Ruthenvais the Fair, High Priest of Thyr in Tertry, to Besondar the Cognate, High Priest of Belon the Wise (a god of knowledge), in Manas. The rambling urban expanse of Manas extends before you, a city bursting at the seams. It is a stark and strange clash of prosperity and dire poverty: nobles step over emaciated homeless children; merchants on expensive horses glance away from destitute lepers; and gaudy, bejeweled bully boys collect the shirts off the backs of cloudy-eyed opium addicts. Hawkers cry out their wares, trying to drown out occasional wails of pain coming from alleys, clip-clopping hoof beats, shouted arguments between wagoneers, ringing bells, and a thousand other deafening urban sounds. As you begin to look around, planning your next move, a feverish looking elderly man in rags comes up to [choose a random PC], grabbing [that PC’s] arm. Something is terribly wrong with his face. “You must help me!” screams the man as he grips your arm with the strength of the dead — and die is exactly what he does, for he falls to the ground, all life having left his eyes. Bright bluish veins glow on the skin around his eyes, appearing like wings curling up his bald temples. His clothes are rags, though they were once fine. At first, he appeared to be elderly, but closer examination suggests he may actually be far younger than he looks. His fingertips are stained bluegray, almost like he had dipped them in ink that had long since dried. No one seems to care very much about what just happened, though one of the nearby merchants does call for guards to come for the body. From here, the PCs have a number of options, all of which they are encouraged to follow up on based on what Cyrilinde has told them. These options can be chosen in any order, though it’s probably easier on the PCs if they investigate the Underworld first. It should be possible for PCs to discover information in any number of ways, and this is only meant to provide a loose framework to eventually lead the PCs to the whereabouts of the youths. • Investigate the underworld and drug scene, possibly with the authority of Casmir Dark, the guildmaster of thieves. • Speak with Orlando Cormont, Commander of the Corps of Wardens, and learn about the legal situation of opium. • Speak to Besondar the Cognate, the High Priest of Belon the Wise, for divine assistance. While traversing the city, and especially the underworld, the PCs may attract unwanted attention if they ask too many questions. At the GM’s discretion and wherever dramatically appropriate, they may be jumped in dark alleys or otherwise accosted. The thieves will leave them alone if they have contacted Casmir Dark, but the opium wars have spawned a violent new underworld that dislikes people who ask questions about opium. You can use the Smoky Flower NPCs listed under the Five Cups Inn to represent local underworld thugs. Casmir Dark If the PCs begin with Casmir Dark, contacting the city’s thieves and obtaining an appointment with the guildmaster, he will meet them in a nameless tavern in the poor quarter, one that has been emptied of patrons for the meeting. A number of hooded thieves will file into the room after the characters are seated, checking for any traps and requesting that the characters place their weapons on the far side of the room for the interview. If the PCs do not comply, they will have no meeting with Casmir. Casmir is of average height, with brown hair, and wears a fur-trimmed black cloak over leather armor. As he talks to you, the features of his face seem to shift, and by the time the interview is finished he looks like an entirely different person. It is disturbing to watch.

69 The War of the Poppies The guildmaster of thieves asks the characters to describe the woman who sent them to him, and they are able to give a good description of Parale Greenguild. He nods, and says: Let me be clear, I have no desire to see you, I have no desire to talk to you, and as far as I’m concerned we never met each other. I want no connection to the opium trade while it’s a business where people kill each other over a few coppers or a street corner. I’m a peaceful man in the business of peacefulness: I keep things orderly, I keep things calm, and everyone wants things to be calm and orderly. Everybody wins. Everybody has a share. I could point you to lots of opium dealers here. Most of them are one-man operations buying opium from Pfefferain, marking it up, and selling it on street corners next to people who sell meat pies and secondhand clothes. There are some bigger fish out there, and since one of them isn’t very peaceful like I am, I’ll tell you where to fish. It might not be the operation you want, but it’s a start, and it’s all I’m going to give you. Find a place called the Five Cups. Casmir isn’t interested in answering any further questions. “How can I answer your questions if you never met me? One day I hope to make your acquaintance, perhaps when this is all done. I’m a good person to meet. As I said, everybody has a share. Some shares are bigger than others, though.” He leaves, remaining polite but firm that he will not provide more information, followed by his bodyguard. The Five Cups Inn Anyone with the Criminal, Guild Merchant, or Urchin background, or a similar background (GM’s discretion), can automatically determine that the Five Cups Inn is the best source of opium in Manas. All others must make DC 15 Charisma (Persuasion) checks to learn that the tavern is a criminal haven and opium source. Failing or repeating the search on multiple days should attract notice by the underworld community, which could trigger combat encounters with the Smoky Flowers. To get any useful information at the Five Cups Inn, the PCs will need to go there at night, when it is open for business and busy. During the day, the staff are obviously so far down the chain of command that they are useless as information sources. As they are traversing the seedier area of the city, read the following (or, if you prefer, play out the events described therein during the course of the PCs’ investigations): Plumbing the depths of the underworld has led you to some very close calls. A frothing pair of street youths with blue-angel-wing veins extending from their eyes tried to shake you down for opium. The leper on the corner of the plaza assured you that if you asked even one more question, it would not be his fingers that went missing. Nevertheless, careful and deliberate searching has eventually led you to the city’s best source of opium: the Five Cups Inn. The building itself is a narrow, wedge-shaped structure in a disused portion of the warehouse district. The block has a derelict air about it, and few walk its streets other than the occasional beggar, prostitute, leper, or junky. Little marks it apart from the surrounding warehouses other than a flimsy hand-written sign that says “Five Cups Inn,” with a badlypainted picture of five cups. After pushing open the doors, it takes a few moments for your eyes to adjust to the light. Even then, it is difficult to see through the haze of smoke wafting through the room. The Five Cups Inn is a large, open, room with eight tables, almost completely full of drinkers, gamblers, and other unsavory sorts. An unsurprising number of thugs lounge lazily about the room, chugging ale, throwing darts, and making general asses of themselves. A door on the right side of the room remains closed and beyond it, near the back corner, is a ladder, leading to what looks like a loft with storage rooms. Lazy curls of smoke waft from the left, where the sliding doors to an open den lie slightly ajar. A profoundly ugly pig of a man stands behind a large rounded bar at the back of the room, cleaning glasses haphazardly. His face is branded with a mark that usually means disrespect for a noble, which is often considered a criminal offense in the countryside, although not generally in cities. The bartender’s yellowish eyes follow you as you walk in, but he makes no move to greet or welcome you. A couple of disinterested serving women pick up drinks and bring them to customers, collecting empty glasses on their way. A single empty table, close to the door, is free of patrons. “Right this way, Gentlefolk,” says one of the serving women, indicating the empty table. Area 1: the Tavern The PCs can order drinks and participate in games of dice and cards, though there is no food served in the tavern other than bar snacks. If the PCs start any trouble, the Smoky Flowers are ready to deal with them. The other patrons know nothing of note. Creatures: present in the tavern are a Smoky Flower assassin, Smoky Flower mage, and (5) Smoky Flower thugs. Sitting on a stool behind the bar, glaring at the entire bar with jaundiced eyes, is Luther Smile. Smoky Flower Assassin: AC 16; HP 66 (12d8+12); Spd 30ft; Melee rapier x 2 (+8, 1d8+4 piercing); Ranged light crossbow (+7, 80ft/320ft, 1d8 piercing); SA Multiattack; Str +0, Dex +4 (+8), Con +1, Int +1 (+5), Wis +0, Cha +0; Skills Acrobatics +8, Deception +4, Perception +4, Stealth + 12; Senses passive Perception 14; Traits assassinate (1st turn, has advantage on attacks against creatures that haven’t acted, and hits against such creatures are critical hits), evasion, sneak attack (1/turn, 4d6 damage); AL NE; CR 8; XP 3,900. Equipment: studded leather armor, rapier, light crossbow, 20 bolts, 50 gp. Smoky Flower Mage: AC 12 (15 with mage armor); HP 49 (9d8+9); Spd 30ft; Melee dagger (+5, 1d4+2); SA spells (Int+6, DC 14); Str –1, Dex +2, Con +1, Int +3 (+6), Wis +0 (+4), Cha +0; Skills Arcana +6, History +6; Senses passive What do the Smokey Flowers know? It’s important that the PCs have multiple opportunities to learn of Sir Brodovic’s manor house in the small barony of Tilny, where he keeps opium workers (including the three youths). The PCs are likely to have a number of run-ins with different combinations of Smoky Flowers throughout this adventure. While the thugs do not know that the nobles in question are currently at the Tilny manor, they are aware that Brodovic and Monjerrat keep addicts who fall into debt out there to produce opium. They can speculate, especially under the threat of torture or the pressure of intimidation, that the youths might have been rounded up, and also that everyone starts to look the same after taking too much blue angel.

70 The Lost Lands: Adventures in the Borderland Provinces

71 The War of the Poppies Perception 11; Traits AL NE; CR 6; XP 2,300. Spells (slots): 0 (at will)—acid splash, light, mage hand, message; 1st (4)—detect magic, expeditious retreat, mage armor, magic missile; 2nd (3)—hold person, web; 3rd (3)— dispel magic, fireball, fly; 4th (3)—dimension door, greater invisibility; 5th (1)—cone of cold Equipment: dagger, spellbook (containing all prepared spells, plus whatever other spells GM wishes), 30 gp. Smoky Flower Thugs (5): AC 14; HP 54 (9d8+18); Spd 30ft; Melee club x 2 (+6, 1d6+3 bludgeoning); Ranged light crossbow (+5, 80ft/320ft, 1d8 piercing); SA Multiattack; Str +2, Dex +2, Con +2, Int –1, Wis +0, Cha –1; Skills Athletics +5, Intimidation +5; Senses passive Perception 11; Traits Pack Tactics (the thug has advantage on an attack roll against a creature if at least one of the thug’s allies is within 5ft of the creature and the ally isn’t incapacitated); AL NE; CR 3; XP 700. Equipment: studded leather armor, club, light crossbow, 20 bolts, 20 gp. Luther Smile is a vile human being. He would sell his sister for a few gold pieces, if he hadn’t already done that at the age of 15. Once a serf in some countryside barony, he was branded for disrespect to the baron, and later escaped to the city of Manas, where he took employment with Monjerrat the Bookkeeper. He cares for nothing but money and no one but himself. Luther, or “Lute” as the Smoky Flowers call him, much to his annoyance, regularly robs strung out junkies in the opium den (which he calls a lounge) beyond a sliding-panel door at the side of the inn. This is Luther’s establishment, but it’s really been commandeered by Monjerrat, Brodovic, and the Smoky Flowers — a fact that Smile deeply and viciously resents. Because Smile is such a detestable person, Monjerrat and Brodovic haven’t realized how big a liability he is to them. Keep that in mind in all dealings with him. If they knew what he had done with the nobles, they’d get rid of him immediately. Luther Smile: AC 11; HP 28 (4d8+12); Spd 30ft; Melee dagger (+5, 1d4+2 piercing); SA Poison (if Smile has advanced warning, he applies scorpion venom to his dagger, 3d8 poison damage, DC 13 Constitution save for half damage, lasts for 1 minute); Str +0, Dex +1, Con +3, Int +1, Wis +0, Cha +1; Skills Deception +5, Intimidation +6, Persuasion +6; Senses passive Perception 12; Traits; AL NE; CR 2; XP 450. Equipment: 3 doses blue angel opium, 2 doses scorpion venom (300 gp each dose). Should the PCs get into a confrontation with Smile, his main goal is to avoid facing them on his own. He’ll seek the greater numbers of the Smoky Flowers, run away, or hide in an upstairs or side room. He doesn’t want to fight and has no loyalty to anyone other than himself. Questions and Answers with Smile Question: Where do we find opium? Answer: Speak to Monjerrat the Bookkeeper in the side office. He can hook you up. He’s a weird one, if you catch my drift. Feel free to “relax” in the lounge once you have what you came for. Question: What is Blue Angel? Answer: Looking for the good stuff, eh? Discerning tastes, eh? That stuff is way better than your standard stuff. Once you go blue, you won’t ever want the boring regular crap anymore. I call the regular stuff “oldpium,” get it? Question: Who runs the opium trade here? Answer: That’d be old Monjerrat in the other room. He’s fighting with a bunch of other gangs, but he’s a man with a plan. He’s got some fancy noble, Sir Brodovic of Tilny’s his name, out north of the Lorremach Highhills. Brodovic is in and outta here, bossing around the Smoky Flowers, those thuggish louts you see lounging around. Sir Brodovic hired out the Smoky Flowers and grows the opium on his manor lands in Tilny. The Smoky Flowers do Monjerrat’s dirty work, but they answer to Brodovic and he puts the coin in their pockets. Question: Where is Tilny (or Brodovic’s manor house)? Answer: Not sure exactly, somewhere on the west edge of the Lorremach Highhills. Maybe 150 miles southeast of Manas, as the crow flies. Question: Who do you work for? Answer: I only work for me. All the gangs, syndicates, guilds, and such, they may come in and outta here, throw their weight around, but this place is mine and I don’t work for none of ‘em. I think they forget that sometime. Question: Have you seen three noble kids? Answer: Nah. What sort of noble would hang out in a dump like this? This place is for ruffians, whores, and drunkards. [GM’s Note: PCs can role Insight vs. Smile’s +5 Deception to know that he is lying] Answer (If bribed with 20 gp, Intimidated DC 15, or Persuaded DC 15): Yeah, I seen ‘em. Came in a few weeks ago looking to have a good time, like they all do. Real fancy clothes. Old Monjerrat in the other room got ‘em hooked right quick and soon enough they was broke. They couldn’t pay for the habit no longer, so they had to go to the poppy fields in Tilny to pay off their debt. Question: Where do they store the opium around here? Answer: That’s worth more money than you have. Answer (If bribed with 200 gp, Intimidated DC 20, or Persuaded DC 25): They keep it in the storage lofts up the ladders in the back of the room, but I wouldn’t go up there if I were you. The Smoky Flowers will be up your behinds until you hightail it out of Manas. Area 1A: Monjerrat the Bookkeeper’s Office Inevitably, the PCs will decide to pay a visit to Monjerrat the Bookkeeper, who is, along with Smile and Brodovic, the cause of this mess. Monjerrat is more of an accountant than a thug, and had he been raised by more loving parents, he may have grown up to perform a more beneficial role in society. As it stands, his mother never loved him and his father favored his more athletic brothers, leaving Monjerrat to his own devices. He fell in with bad crowds, who tolerated him little more, but appreciated his head for numbers. He picked up a variety of less savory skills and his associations have hardened him in ways that would likely never have happened had fate left him to a more pleasant life. However, as a creative and resourceful criminal, Monjerrat was contacted by Sir Brodovic of Tilny, who was looking for an investment in the opium trade in Manas. Sir Brodovic of Tilny is now Monjerrat’s partner in the effort to take control of the opium trade in Manas. He provided the initial money and What if Monjerrat the Bookkeeper Learns that the Nobles are in the Lodge? If the PCs find out from Smile that the nobles were sent to the lodge, they may end up revealing it to Monjerrat. Fortunately for the PCs, Monjerrat doesn’t have a means of teleportation or magical communication. There is a portal in the storage loft area of the Five Cups Inn that goes to the manor house, but only Sir Brodovic knows the command word to open the portal. If the code word is known, the portal can be activate as often as desired, and stays open for one minute. Nevertheless, if the PCs don’t kill Monjerrat, and he believes that they are searching for the nobles and interfering with his business plans, he will step up attacks on them by the Smoky Flowers, especially if they tarry in city.

72 The Lost Lands: Adventures in the Borderland Provinces still provides a safe location for Monjerrat to grow his magically-fortified opium, receiving a share of the operation’s profits. While Brodovic cares little whether Monjerrat lives or dies, he is, at least for the nonce, a useful tool. Should he prove a liability, Brodovic would cut him loose in an instant. For now, he appreciates Monjerrat’s combination of creative intelligence, ruthless efficiency, and honest bookkeeping. Most of Monjerrat’s days consist of careful bookkeeping in the side room in the Five Cups Inn, organizing the efforts of minor dealers and selling opium to individual customers. He takes occasional trips out to the poppy fields and Brodovic’s country estate to inspect affairs, but finds such excursions somewhat distasteful, preferring the insulation of his legers. He finds the dirty, criminal world somewhat odious in general, and has little taste for the drugs themselves, but relishes creatively moving sums of money around. He is not afraid of blood or violence, but finds them boring and boorish. He is more prissy than wimpy, but when cornered, can be a hissing viper. Monjerrat the Bookkeeper: AC 15; HP 54 (9d8+18); Spd 30ft; Melee dagger of venom x 2 (+8, 1d4+4 piercing); SA Multiattack; Str +0, Dex +4 (+8), Con +2, Int +2 (+5), Wis +1, Cha +1; Skills Deception +6, Sleight of Hand +5, Stealth + 4; Senses passive Perception 11; Traits evasion, sneak attack (1/turn, 4d6 damage); AL N (evil tendencies); CR 6; XP 2,300. Equipment: dagger of venom (DC 15 Con save or +2d10 poison on first hit during encounter), ring of protection. When PCs enter his office off the right side of the inn, read the following: The door off the side of the tavern opens into an office that could not be more different from the large room of the tavern. Where the tavern is grimy, smoky, dim, and reeking of a variety of unpleasant aromas, the office is spotless, clear, bright, and warm. An antique desk sits in the center of the small space. Several dark wood cabinets sit against the left wall, and candles burn in filigreed sconces providing bright illumination. Behind the desk sits a short, wiry man with stooped shoulders and the pinched face of one who spends his days staring at ledgers. This is most certainly Monjerrat the Bookkeeper, the opium merchant. His exceedingly ornate red velvet overcoat is embellished with gold thread and an abundance of lace. He resembles a wealthy merchant that slithered into the local pimp’s lair and never slithered back out again. “Who are you?” says the man, his voice cold and full of distaste at the interruption. Monjerrat is engaged in the same sorts of routine tasks he does every day. No opium, blue angel or other illicit substances are kept in the room. All are on the second floor loft. The Smoky Flowers go to fetch the drugs and give them to buyers, who take them into the opium den through the sliding door in the inn. Below are common answers to questions the PCs might ask him. If they beat his Deception roll anywhere mentioned, they know he is hiding something, and, where specified, can attempt to Intimidate him into answering more. Should the PCs manage to search the room (perhaps by sneaking in late at night, using invisibility or employing other trickery), they can piece together the plans of Monjerrat, Brodovic, and the Smoky Flowers (see Adventure Background). It is possible that the PCs may wish to arrest Monjerrat. Should they recover the documents in his room, they may have sufficient cause to do that, though this is will depend heavily on how they go about things. Questions and Answers with Monjerrat Question: Where do we find opium? Answer: That depends on what you are looking for. Of course, you could purchase garden variety opium from a variety of hoodlums, scoundrels, ruffians, thugs, criminals, and ne’er-do-wells, but I only sell medical grade opium for healing matters. I assume that is the reason you are here. Such discerning folk as you could not possibly be here for illicit purposes. Question: What is Blue Angel? Answer: Is that what the riffraff are calling it? Like with any substance, I suppose there will be side effects among those who take too much. My suppliers only harvest the purest poppies, and perhaps some partake of them too much. It is not my responsibility to police such things. Opium is, after all, legal. I am not their nanny. Question: Who runs the opium trade here? Answer: No one can really claim to run that trade. There are many competing entrepreneurs seeking their fortune, and there is enough bounty for all. While I only deal in higher-end merchandise, there is undoubtedly a product that fits every taste and budget. I’m sure I can find something that suits your needs, and if I can’t, I’ve heard that there are some lepers down the street with a few pouches for sale. (Insight vs. his Deception+6) Answer (Intimidation DC 25): If the PCs Intimidate him (bribes and persuasion won’t work), he reveals that he is working with Sir Brodovic to slowly put the other opium dealers out of business. They created blue opium to addict people so they wouldn’t want other kinds of opium anymore. The Smoky Flowers enforce their efforts and are local thugs, contracted by Sir Brodovic. Question: Have you seen three noble children? Answer: I saw a few noble youths several weeks. They enjoyed themselves for an evening and went on their way. GM’s Reminder: He’s actually telling the truth here. He hasn’t seen the nobles since, and has no knowledge of their disappearance. He may be responsible for the larger opium crisis, but only Luther Smile can claim direct responsibility for the nobles. Question: Where do you keep the opium? Answer: Why would I tell you that? Answer (Intimidation DC 30): On the second floor, in the storage loft. But if I were you, I’d leave well enough alone, assuming you value your skin. Blue Angel Poppies and Opium Blue Angel is a particularly virulent strain of poppy that produces an extremely potent narcotic paste. Monjerrat the Bookkeeper discovered a small handful of the flowers growing in the Tilny Hills, and decided to cultivate them with the assistance of a hired alchemist and a minor wizard, both of whom later perished under strange circumstances, which is unknown to Monjerrat. The flowers are identical to standard poppies, except for two significant differences. Where ordinary poppies are known for their shocking red color, the blue angel strain is almost neon blue, with pulsing blue-gray veins radiating from the central eye of the flower like wings. Cultivation of opium from blue angel poppies is performed in much the same way as standard opium, though those picking the flower must take extra precautions when handling them, due both to the difficulty in removing the deep blue stains that result, and to the intoxicating effect of the sappy paste within the bulb. Smoking a single dose of blue angel opium results in a brief euphoric high, followed by a devastating crash. For ten minutes following the inhalation of the drug, the user is immune to all conditions and penalties imposed by fear, sickness, fatigue, pain, or morale, and has a +2 bonus on attack rolls, damage, ability checks, and saving throws. This is a treated as a poison. The high of blue angel lasts for only about ten minutes, followed by a crash in which the user experiences fatigue and dehydration. 4d6 hours later, the user is possessed by a powerful compulsion to seek out more blue

73 The War of the Poppies angel, doing whatever is necessary to acquire the drug. This compulsion can be resisted with a DC 10 Wisdom saving throw (poison). If the save fails, the user will perform desperate, even violent acts to satiate the addiction, completely unaware of personal morality and completely willing to take the lives of others or break any law or custom to get what the addict craves. After the addict quells the craving, the unfortunate person falls into another stupor for another 4d6 hours, then begins the cycle anew. Each time the cycle starts over, the save DC increased by 1. Furthermore, if the DC rises high enough that the addict only succeeds on a natural 20, the addict has disadvantage on the save. This is not a mind-effecting effect, but rather is a form of physical addiction, and any resistance or bonuses against poison will help. Even if an individual succeeds on a save, or is cured of addiction using neutralize poison or a similar spell, should the user take another dose of blue angel in the future, the save DC starts at whatever the highest save DC that the user has ever suffered. Nothing short of a heal, wish, miracle or magic of a similar power level can permanently remove the addiction. Even then, if the individual should ever try the drug again, the process of addiction begins again, though at the base DC of 10. For the few users who have survived a blue angel addiction, memory of their addiction is an insane and tortured blur. There is only one treatment for blue angel other than powerful magic: standard opium. For some reason, normal opium counteracts the effects of blue angel, though only temporarily. If a user smokes standard opium, the normal effects of the blue opium crash are suppressed for the rest of the day, leaving the user dopey, but not manic. The user regains the compulsion to search for blue angel the following day, however, unless they smoke more standard opium. If a user takes another dose of blue angel, the neutralizing effects of standard opium end. Unfortunately, most blue angel addicts would never think to seek out standard opium because of their craving for blue angel, and dealers of standard opium are unaware of its ability to temporary counter a blue angel addiction. This is how Monjerrat and Brodovic keep their opium pickers functional. They distribute standard opium to their pickers, keeping them placid and docile. If the authorities in Manas were to learn of this — especially the religious authorities — they would likely be able to use this as part of a treatment for blue angel. In addition, blue opium makes those who use it difficult to affect with divination spells that answer questions or determine location, such as augury, divination, commune, contact other plane. While such spells do work, the information they return is less specific, cloudy, vague, and imprecise. It is up to the GM to adjudicate how much information is gained by such spells. Spells that locate objects or creatures automatically fail when targeting users of blue opium. It is not surprising that users of blue angel often die of overdoses. The compulsive effect that occurs during the crash typically renders the users incapable of restraining themselves when they come upon supplies of the drug. Like a starving man coming upon food, they gorge themselves on the drug. Should a user roll a natural 1 on a Wisdom save against the drug’s addictive effects, the user dies (though often not until one last, manic episode). Area 1B: Opium Den This area is full of nothing but blue angel addicts on divans, smoking opium. Area 2: Storage Loft This loft has numerous crates full of blue angel opium, ready to be smoked. If the drug is ever criminalized, and the guard knows that this is where it is stored, they move to seize it. The loft also contains a teleportation circle leading to Sir Brodovic’s manor house. Only Brodovic knows the sigil’s proper sequence, though there is a diagram of it in a painting in the lodge. The Law In order to investigate the legal issues surrounding opium, the PCs need to speak to Orlando Cormont. No special knowledge or background is required to find Cormont, though he isn’t at the Headquarter of the City Wardens when the PCs locate him. He is observing the final stages of cleanup of an incident at the Damozel Square marketplace at midday. Guards are hauling off a knot of writhing and kicking vagabonds in filthy rags, each bearing the angel wing veins identifying him or her as a blue angel addict. The area nearby is in absolute chaos, with flour streaming through the air, melon splattering expensive silk shawls, sacks of grains spilled and mixing with split casks of ale. Cormont is a stoic, normally imperturbable man, but this opium crisis has tried his last nerve. While a strict adherent of the law, he is normally a live and let live sort. Today, however, he’s having trouble seeing any upside to allowing opium to remain legal, even though it is only the addicts of this new strain that are causing problems. The PCs may need to revisit him a number of times throughout this adventure. They might return to him to report on what they find at Sir Brodovic of Tilny’s estate, or to seek assistance in transportation. You approach the man the guards pointed out as Orlando Cormont, Commander of the Corps of Wardens. A man in his middle years, he is graying at the temples, but there is nothing the least bit soft about the commander. He is watching a cleanup after some sort of scuffle in the marketplace. He projects a solid, unshakeable presence that makes it clear how he rose to his current rank. Nevertheless, cracks seem to be forming in his stony facade: he swats away flies that buzz around his face, seeking honey that splattered from a knocked over a stand; his once-spotless surcoat is stained with exploded tomatoes, and his shoes are scuffed. Questions and Answers with Orlando Cormont Cormont will speak to the PCs, courteously and — despite the scenario — with only a mild hint of exasperation. He has received the request for help sent by Lord Parzalon, and has been on the lookout for the PCs. Question: What happened here? Answer: I’m honestly not sure. Some opium addicts looking for the drug in the marketplace went wild. The drug makes people hallucinate, so maybe that’s what set them off. It’s really impossible to know. Question: What is Blue Angel? Answer: It’s a new kind of opium being sold in the worse parts of town. We’re not exactly sure who is selling it, though we suspect a group called the Smoky Flowers, a local group of thugs. I’d check out the Five Cups Inn if I were you. Opium is legal, so I have no reason to raid the place. Question: Do you think opium should be illegal? Answer: I’m not sure. I know that the normal stuff isn’t that big a deal. Sure, it can ruin a man, but that’s his choice. But this new strain, it’s different. It doesn’t just ruin you; it makes you crazy. Addicts go mad looking for the stuff, robbing and killing each other and innocent people. It would be hard to criminalize just one kind of opium because then the criminals would just alter their recipe a bit. I’m open to suggestions, frankly. What do you think we should do? Cormont is asking the PCs for their honest, current opinions, since they are not only powerful individuals but apparently some sort of unofficial envoys from the County of Toullen. They can offer any number of possible solutions. See the “What Should Be Done About the Opium Problem” sidebar for some of the possibilities. Question: Who runs the opium trade here? Answer: It’s a bunch of gangs, all killing each other. The thieves’ guild seems to be waiting around to see who wins. I’m not sure who is going to come out on top, but whoever it is, they’ll be a force to be reckoned with. I have heard rumors about a minor noble who’s involved, a fellow named Sir Brodovic of Tilny. He owns a manor in the Tilny Hills near the Lorremach, but he’s in the city quite a bit. A lot of the opium crop is grown around those hills. You might check out his manor house to look for more leads on your youths, if you want to make the trip.

74 The Lost Lands: Adventures in the Borderland Provinces Question: Do you have any information on the three missing noble kids? Answer: I wish I could say I knew something, but I don’t. No one has seen them, and I have people looking. I’ll let you know if we find anything. Should you require any assistance in transportation, I can connect you with guides through the countryside. Otherwise it’s a maze of little country roads and trails. Lord Parzalon is an old soldiering friend of mine; I want to see his son returned as much as anyone. Church of Belon the Wise The opium crisis has not gone unnoticed by the faiths of Manas. While the city has many temples and shrines, the Church of Belon is the one they have an introduction to, in the form of a letter given to them in Tertry by the High Priest of Thyr. Belon is a god of knowledge and magic, and the church’s power is on the rise. Besondar the Cognate is the High Priest of the temple in Manas, and the PCs may go to him for assistance. Although the High Priest has no interest in how the opium trade is eventually addressed, he knows that his advice will be sought, and wants to get as much information as he can. Besondar is a man of subtlety and nuance, open to many possible solutions to the problem. Besondar is outside in a meditation garden when the PCs track him down. You approach the garden the parishioners pointed you to, near the entrance to the temple to Belon the Wise. The High Priest, Besondar, sits at noon each day in a meditation garden, considering things he has learned and deciding what to do about them. The garden is essentially a small park, with a small pond at its center. Foot bridges lead to an island at the center of the pond, where a sun dial sits, surrounded by rounded benches. Extended out in concentric rings from the pond are circles of vibrant sunflowers, swaying in the gentle breeze, exultant in the brilliant radiance of the noonday sun. A small number of people are strolling among the sunflowers in the garden, but there is only one person on the island, and he seems to notice you the moment you walk into the garden. He stands, motioning you to join him. As you walk the footbridges, coming closer, you see a strong, noblyfeatured man in his middle years, wearing a white robe, like the other priests you have seen in the temple area. “Welcome, welcome. I have been expecting you. I have heard troubling things and seen omens. I believe you are here to help this fair city rise from a dark shadow.” Besondar will speak to the PCs warmly, though distantly and distractedly. As a spiritual conduit with the god of knowledge, he constantly receives bits and pieces of information, most of them unconnected with anything else, “overheard” from distant oracles, statues of the god, and other sources like a jigsaw puzzle of cryptic clues. One of his tasks is to assemble as much of these scattered facts as possible into meaningful information that can be offered to the god in the nature of an offering. Certainly not all priests of Belon find themselves in this relationship to the deity — indeed, it is rare — but Besondar is one of these. The constant flood of disconnected images, words, and symbols intruding into his mind means that Besondar is constantly mentally occupied, and despite the fact that he is a brilliant person, it can be difficult for him to focus for too long on what is happening around him. Few of Belon’s priests that are “blessed” with this divine connection reach high office in the Church: they are obviously singled out with a great gift and responsibility, but they are seldom able to do much else. The growth of Belon’s popularity in the Borderland Provinces has left the Church of Belon with a shortage of true What Should Be Done About the Opium Problem? Several influential individuals are interested in hearing what actions the PCs think should be taken to mitigate or stop the opium problem. Below are a number of possible solutions, though the PCs can come up with other ones. • Criminalize all opium: While it’s regrettable that some are ruining things for all, opium is considered by many to be an odious habit that ruins lives. If the PCs choose to advocate this option, all opium sale, use, and production would be criminalized. This, of course, says nothing about rehabilitation and assistance with drug addiction, which may or may not be included in prosecution. • Criminalize only blue angel: Why ruin things for everyone when it’s only a few people causing trouble? Criminalize blue angel and create a standing king’s order that any similar substances will be reviewed and may also be criminalized if found to be similarly destructive. Normal opium remains legal, though a closer eye will be kept on sellers and users. • Leave things as they are: People will hear how destructive the drug is, and likely avoid it. This may be wishful thinking, but some merchants of neighboring communities advocate it. Unusually for the mercantile interests in the city, who normally prefer minimal government interference in commerce, the local traders and merchants are actually not advocating this position. They feel that the new strain hurts more honest, standard business and may eventually lead to criminalization of all opium, even if it remains legal for the time being. • Provide drug addiction programs and assist in rehabilitation: This option can be combined with any of the other options and is the primary interest of Besondar. Various temples in Manas offer to help those addicted to blue angel and other drugs to kick their addictions. • Tax, regulate, and inspect all opium coming into Suilley: By increasing oversight, the kingdom increases revenue, but also safety, at least in theory. This can be combined with banning blue angel. • Another solution the PCs think of that hasn’t been covered here.

75 The War of the Poppies High Priests, so Besondar is currently, temporarily, assigned to Manas until a more-political and less-holy successor can be found for the post. Like elsewhere, the conversation with Besondar is structured as commonly asked questions, but you should weave them organically into the discourse with the NPC. Questions and Answers with Besondar Question: We’ve heard that there are issues with divinations used on people affected by blue angel. What do you think is happening? Answer: I can’t be certain. The drug seems to interfere with the divine conduit, though I’ve heard that it is equally effective in blocking arcane divination. I’m not able to test that. Either way, it makes answers to divinations vague. And given that we cannot perform divinations on a given subject multiple times in rapid succession, it’s difficult to learn much about the whereabouts of the poor missing youths. Question: Have you learned anything more about the whereabouts of the missing youths? Answer: Alas, I haven’t learned much. What I sent to Ruthenvais still holds true. They are still in Suilley, still alive, and still in danger. I have been seeing visions of blue poppy fields near a lumber-built hall or lodge of some sort, a large wall surrounding it. I don’t know if that helps in any way. Question: Where is Tilny Manor (or the Tilny Hills)? Answer: Give me a moment. [Besondar takes out some parchment and a quill, then appears to drift into a reverie for a moment. He then draws a map, his eyes still closed, showing a complex series of roads and trails leading southeast from Manas. Halfway through, he writes the words: “would lead to a bad harvest,” but crosses them out and says, “Sorry, that’s something different.”] This map should get you there on the most direct route through the countryside. It shouldn’t take much longer than traveling on a high road, as long as you don’t go off this particular way. [Despite the fact that he can apparently draw a precise map to an unknown location, he can tell the PCs nothing about Tilny Manor itself. He has never been there, and never heard of it.] Question: Do you think opium should be illegal? Answer: Perhaps… perhaps. In the end, I will support the side that comes up with the best plan to mitigate the harm my people and my city suffer. If the solution helps to restore the addicts, I will endorse it, whether the drug remains legal or becomes completely criminal. The legality is irrelevant to the actual problem. I am curious. What do you think should be done? Besondar is asking the PCs for their honest, current opinions about what should be done. They can offer any number of possible solutions. See the “What Should Be Done about the Opium Problem” sidebox for some of the possibilities. The PCs can also come back to him, should they change their minds, discover more information leading to other conclusions, or come up with new ideas. If the PCs present him with a reasonable plan for drug rehabilitation at any point in the adventure, he will support their position when they make their final recommendation to Cormont, who has the ear of the king. Acolytes approach on the footbridges, appearing eager for their high priest’s attentions. Besondar turns to you, “Ah. I fear I have other appointments to attend. Please take some time to meditate on what I have said and consider the problems of rehabilitation.” He points to a slim, sun-darkened man tending a sunflower, who smiles at you. “Dorias will be around to assist you with anything you should need.” Besondar and all of the acolytes, excepting Dorias, go back to the temple, leaving the PCs to contemplate the issues in the garden. Give them some time to talk through the issues before proceeding to the next text box. You spend some time discussing the conundrum posed to you by Besondar and enjoying the tranquility of the meditation garden. It is easy to imagine the high priest and acolytes coming here to contemplate their philosophical questions. The peaceful afternoon serenity is interrupted by a commotion at the entrance to the gardens. Six frothing, raving people begin running around the gardens, howling “where is the angel? I know you’ve got her? Take me to her!” Dorias, the acolyte who had been tending sunflowers calls to you. “Please, restrain them, but don’t hurt them! And for Belon’s sake, try not to destroy the gardens!” As you move to try and stop the raving lunatics, Dorias begins to shoo the other patrons out, lock the gates, and secure the area. Creatures: The six addicts aren’t really a significant danger to the PCs. The challenge is rounding them up without hurting them, without causing significant damage to the gardens, and within a reasonable amount of time. It is unclear why they think there is blue angel in the garden. Perhaps they associate the PCs with the drug, having seen them in the Five Cups Inn. The longer the addicts are loose the more damage they cause. If they want Besondar’s support on any matter, significant damage to the garden makes this harder to obtain. Blue Angel Addict (2): AC 10; HP 4 (1d8); Spd 30ft; Melee club (+4, 1d4+2 bludgeoning); Str +2, Dex +2, Con +2, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +2; Senses passive Perception 10; Traits blue angel high (see sidebox Blue Angel Poppies and Opium) AL N; CR 1/8; XP 25. If the PCs round them up in 1–3 rounds, without harming the addicts, the priests take the addicts to the temple, where they will be cleansed of the poison. The guards will not be called. If the fight takes longer than 3 rounds, or harm any of the addicts, the priests call the guards. Part 3: Tilny Manor Traveling to the western edge of the Lorremach Highhills from Manas does not take any longer than traveling along a high road when the characters have a guides and a letter from the Commander of the Corps of Wardens in Manas, or a map from the High Priest of Belon. Roll encounters as if the PCs were traveling on the Flatlander Road, but treat any encounters as High-Risk. (see Borderland Provinces, Chapter 9: Kingdom of Suilley, Flatlander Road, and Appendix C: Encounter QuickReference). Rehabilitation and Prevention Besondar is asking the PCs to present him with reasonable options for rehabilitating drug addicts and curbing drug crime. While he and his clerics might be able to cure the addicts of their addiction with clerical magic, it is in no way realistic to heal all addicts of their ailments this way. Furthermore, it may not be possible. What’s to stop a user from going right back to the drug after being cured of the addiction? Any of the following might be considered a reasonable solution, and some might be combined as multi-part treatments: • Research alchemical solutions to help ease withdrawal symptoms. • Seek herbal remedies that bolster willpower to help resist cravings for the drug. • Create minor magic items that help ward against drug addiction, or perhaps that ruin or disrupt the effects of the drug.

76 The Lost Lands: Adventures in the Borderland Provinces If the PCs do not travel directly to the manor, their delays endanger the captives and could even lead to arriving after they have died. Normal travel times, even though they are fairly long, do not endanger the youths. The Manor and Surrounds The PCs eventually approach Sir Brodovic of Tilny’s manor house and properties which, as Luther Smile said, are roughly 150 miles southeast of Manas, on the edge of the Lorremach Highhills. Brodovic owns a much larger estate, as well, where we makes his home most of the year, but his main castle and lands are quite distant from the Tilny Manor, and do not appear in this adventure. When the PCs arrive, read or paraphrase the following: Neatly-planted square fields of brilliant blue poppies flank the road leading to a compound that you’ve been told contains the manor house. Dazed workers harvest poppy pods in the harsh sun, loading them into wheelbarrows and carting them to the compound. Every one of them smokes on a small pipe, the curls of smoke drifting into the air. The compound is protected by a 10-foot-tall stone wall with a sliding wrought iron gate. The gate is flanked by two burly guards, who are inspecting the crop. They seem satisfied and call for the gate to be open. You can just make out sentries with crossbows standing atop a structure within the compound. If you’re not careful, they’ll spot you. Unless the PCs are stealthy, the sentries spot them as they approach. (Note the sentries’ passive Perception of 16.) While opponents are listed in a number of separate locations, the scene is effectively a single large battle, occurring in waves and over multiple terrains where combatants can hide, take cover, or otherwise take advantage of their environment. This battle can be quite deadly if the PCs do not fight strategically. Trap: The wyvern mages have inscribed the wall with a magical trap. Anyone who sets foot on the other side of the wall without passing through the gate (including via flight or teleportation) sets off a keening alarm and is sprayed with conjured blue angel sap. A DC 15 Wisdom (Perception or Intelligence (Investigation) check detects the runes that make up the trap. Determining their function requires a DC 17 Intelligence (Arcana) check, and disabling them requires a second such check. The alarm alerts the wyvern mages, who immediately give treats containing blue angel opium to each of the wyverns, who then fly off to attack the PCs. If the alarm isn’t set off, the mages give the wyverns the treats if and when they are made aware of intruders. Areas F1 and F2: Poppy Fields Healthy blue angel poppies grow in a field flanking the road leading to the lodge. Creatures: (40) noncombatant poppy pickers (male and female mostly human commoners) work in the fields, hauling poppy pods in wheelbarrows to the gate. Area F3: the Gate Two burly guards inspect wheelbarrows of poppy pods before giving the go ahead for two of their brethren to open the gates. Creatures: (2) guards watch the poppy pickers at the gate. Guard (2): AC 16; HP 52 (8d8+16); Spd 30ft; Melee shortsword x 2 (+7, 1d6+3 piercing); Ranged heavy crossbow (+6, 100ft/400ft, 1d10 piercing); SA Multiattack; Str +3 (+5), Dex +2, Con +2 (+4), Int +0, Wis +0, Cha +0; Senses passive Perception 16; AL NE; CR 3; XP 700. Equipment: scale mail, shortsword, heavy crossbow, 20 bolts, 22 gp. Area F4: Gate Crank Two more guards stand here pulling a winch to open and close the gates. Creatures: (2) guards open and close the gates. Area F5: Storage Building Two more guards are off duty here, playing cards before their shifts, ignoring the dopey poppy pickers unloading pods. Creatures: (2) Off-duty guards relax as the pickers unload. They are not wearing armor. Off-Duty Friendly Men Compound Guard (2): AC 12; HP 52 (8d8+16); Spd 30ft; Melee shortsword x 2 (+7, 1d6+3 piercing); Ranged heavy crossbow (+6, 100ft/400ft, 1d10 piercing); SA Multiattack; Str +3 (+5), Dex +2, Con +2 (+4), Int +0, Wis +0, Cha +0; Senses passive Perception 16; AL NE; CR 2; XP 450. Equipment: scale mail (not worn), shortsword, heavy crossbow, 20 bolts, 22 gp. Area F6: the Manor This is the manor house, a small building that has been in Sir Brodovic’s family for centuries. At one point it actually was a manor house, though all traces of that function have been stripped from it. Now, it is just a simple wood barrack with eight wood beds, a sturdy rectangular table and the basic belongings of the guards. A portal is inscribed on the floor near the back of the room. Only Brodovic knows the sequence of code words that must be spoken to activate it, but those in the room should make Intelligence (Arcana), DC 18 checks to decipher the code. If successful, the PCs figure out the words that let them activate the circle to transport themselves and all of the workers back to Manas through the Five Cups Inn. The circle can be activated as often as desired, and stays open for one minute. Creatures: (3) crossbow sentries sit on the roof of the lodge. Crossbow Sentries (3): AC 15; HP 52 (8d8+16); Spd 30ft; Melee shortsword (+6, 1d6+2 piercing); Ranged heavy crossbow x 2 (+7, 100ft/400ft, 1d10 piercing); Str +2 (+4), Dex +3 (+5), Con +2 (+4), Int +0, Wis +0, Cha +0; SA Rapid Reload; Senses passive Perception 16; AL NE; CR 3; XP 700. Equipment: studded leather, shortsword, heavy crossbow, 30 bolts, 22 gp. Area F7: the Sleeping Hovel This outbuilding contains the sleeping pallets of the 40 poppy picking drug addicts enslaved by Sir Brodovic. There is nothing else in here; certainly nothing of value. Area F8: Wyvern House The outbuilding houses two trained wyverns addicted to blue angel. Their caretakers are two mages specialized in wyvern training, who have had them from the egg. Because they are addicted to blue angel, the wyverns seek out the PCs if/when the characters are sprayed with poppy sap. Unsubtle as they are, the wyverns try to kill the PCs, believing that they can take the drug from them. The mages can also order them to attack the PCs, though they are even more ferocious when driven by their lust for blue angel. Creatures: There are 2 drug addicted wyverns and 2 wyvern mages in the wyvern house, though they do not likely remain there. The wyverns bear the pulsing blue-gray angel wing markings of blue angel addicts. Blue angel is already factored into their statistics. After 10 minutes are up, they continue to fight, though they will lose the +2 to attack, damage, saves, and ability checks, as well as any immunities derived from the drug. The wyvern mages mostly focus on helping the wyverns by attacking PCs who seem to be hurting them. Blue Angel Addicted Wyvern (2): AC 13; HP 110 (13d10+39); Spd 20ft, fly 80ft; Melee bite (+9, reach 10ft, 2d6+6

77 The War of the Poppies

78 The Lost Lands: Adventures in the Borderland Provinces piercing), claw x2 (+9, 2d8+6 slashing), stinger (+9, 2d6+6 piercing and 7d6 poison, DC 15 Con save for half); Str +6, Dex +0, Con +5, Int –1, Wis +3, Cha +0; SA Multiattack (the wyvern makes two attacks: one with its bite and one with its stinger. While flying, it can use its claws in place of one other attack); Immune fear, sickness, fatigue, pain, or negative morale; Skills Perception +6; Senses darkvision 120ft, passive Perception 16; AL N CR 7; XP 2,900. Wyvern Mage (2): AC 12 (15 with mage armor); HP 58 (9d8+18); Spd 30ft; Melee dagger (+4, 1d4+1); SA spells (Int+6, DC 14); Str –1, Dex +2, Con +2, Int +3 (+6), Wis +1 (+4), Cha +0; Skills Arcana +6, History +6; Senses passive Perception 11; Traits; AL LE; CR 6; XP 2,300. Spells (slots): 0 (at will)—dancing lights, mage hand, mending, ray of frost; 1st (4)—detect magic, burning hands, mage armor, magic missile; 2nd (3)—alter self, scorching ray; 3rd (3)— fireball, fly, haste; 4th (3)—ice storm, wall of fire; 5th (1)—wall of force Equipment: dagger, spellbook (containing all prepared spells, plus whatever other spells GM wishes), 36 gp. Area F9: the Stable There are (10) horses here for use by the guards and overseers. These are not war-trained horses and are not meant to be used as combatants. Aftermath: Assuming the PCs are able to defeat the guards, wyverns, snipers, and mage, they find the youths among the poppy pickers after a small amount of conversation. The three nobles are somewhat ragged, but are alive and can be reunited with their families after some time with Besondar at the temple of Thyr. The PCs return to Manas without difficulty. What remains is for the PCs to resolve the legality of opium and discuss possibilities for rehabilitation. Part 4: Audience with the King The PCs must return to Manas with the three youths to see to their health, before the three nobles travel on to Tertry to reunite with their families. While the PCs may have potent magical healing as part of their skillset, Besondar wants his clerics to examine the youths before they are sent back to Toullen, and to see the result of the Blue Angel on the other opium workers (which seems to be more a matter of curiosity). The PCs must also report to Orlando Cormont. Report to Besondar Assuming they agree to do so, the PCs report to Besondar. Read the following upon their arrival in the gardens: Besondar sits on the same bench on the island in the garden where you met him before, feeding breadcrumbs to greedy ducks. He looks up, and welcomes you to join him. “I’m pleased to see that you’ve returned. The three youths, as well as all of the other workers, are being cared for by our healers, and all are doing fine. I’d appreciate it if you could tell me the full story of what happened. I’d also like to hear your final recommendations concerning opium itself. If the PCs have presented a reasonable solution or combination of solutions to Besondar, he supports whatever position they take regarding the legality of opium. He then speaks privately to Orlando Cormont, advising him to support the PCs. Cormont has the ear of the king and the king will listen to his word above all when making his decision. Besondar’s recommendation to Cormont results in the PCs gaining advantage on their roll when dealing with the commander. Debrief with Orlando Cormont Orlando Cormont requested that the PCs meet with him after they locate the youths. If they have forgotten this (and even if they have not), be sure to remind them by having him send a messenger to them inviting them to a debriefing at the guardhouse. Sometime later, after you’ve had a bit of time to rest and recover from your adventures, a messenger from the city guard approaches you, requesting that you follow him to a debriefing with Commander Cormont. [Assuming they follow, continue:] The messenger leads

79 The War of the Poppies you to the Caerronde, the city’s massive citadel tower, where you ascend the seemingly endless spiral staircase, passing numerous landings filled with guards engaged in training, recreation, and paperwork, before stopping at an office. Orlando Cormont looks up from a report, beckoning you to join him. “Please, tell me of what has transpired. I’ve heard that things went well, but I wish to know the details.” After he hears the accounts, Cormont asks the PCs again to make a recommendation regarding the legality of opium. Before they state their case, determine Cormont’s current position on Opium. Assume that Cormont starts the adventure at a neutral position (5 on the opium legality scale, below). Move the scale one position to the left for each negative incident related to opium that has occurred since the PCs first met him, including, but not limited to the marketplace, the gardens at the Temple of Thyr, the rescue of the noble youths at the manor house, and any other attacks that have occurred. The scale cannot go below 1. If an attack is never discovered by the watch or Cormont, do not include it. Give the PCs an opportunity to sway Cormont’s opinion. They can make a single Charisma (Persuasion) check, DC 15 (possibly with advantage, if they convinced Besondar). If they make a 15, they can move Cormont’s opinion by 1 spot in either direction. For every 5 by which they exceed 15, they can move it an additional spot (2 spots at 20, 3 at 25, and so on). After the check, record Cormont’s final position. Of course, as mentioned before, should the PCs come up with a better solution that does not fall on the scale below, Cormont is willing to consider it. Concluding the Adventure The PCs eventually discover the results of their discussions with Cormont, who makes his recommendation to the government of Suilley and to the King. His arguments might or might not affect the King, but the recommendations are put into place, at least temporarily, in the City of Manas itself. While the PCs may feel some personal satisfaction (or dissatisfaction) from the result, it is unlikely to affect them much personally. If they had argued for a reward from Cyrilinde, they can visit Tertry to claim a single Rare magic item from the treasury of Count Luthien (GM’s discretion as to what is available, but presumably something of use to each PC). The PCs may wish to visit Tertry anyway, if just to check on the youths and the satisfaction of Cyrilinde. If they didn’t ask for a physical reward, they still have a favor they can call in. As to experience, follow the guidelines outlined in the Experience sidebar. Evaluate if the PCs managed to rescue the youths while exercising discretion wherever possible, and were engaged and roleplayed in regard to the opium legality issue. The matter of discretion is difficult to adjudicate, as it is impossible for the PCs to avoid asking questions. The best gauge of this if the PCs bungled their way in the underworld, or if they got attacked by the Smoky Flowers an excessive number of times for asking too many questions, too often. Large, messy, uncontained fights in the city also qualify as lacking in discretion. As to Monjerrat, if the PCs didn’t kill him and he wasn’t arrested, his ability to consolidate the opium trade in Manas is finished. He will likely rise to criminal prominence again, based on his abilities, but for the time being he is no longer a danger to society. Sir Brodovic is mostly untouchable, though he might have to keep away from Manas for a while. The fate of Luther Smile heavily depends on what happened during the adventure, though if the PCs didn’t kill him, he is probably still glaring at ruffians in his bar, while patrons smoke opium (legal or not) in the lounge to the side.

80 The Lost Lands: Adventures in the Borderland Provinces Monster-hunting is the bread and butter of many an adventuring career. When the horrors of the wild threaten civilized lands — or sometimes even before they have the chance — brave mages and warriors set out to lay them low. It’s a tale as old as adventuring itself. Only this time, the heart of the problem isn’t the monsters. It’s the monster hunters. A Most Peculiar Hunt is an adventure for 4–6 characters of 12th level. Set primarily in the wilds of the Unclaimed Lands, along the border of Aachen Province, this is a somewhat “sandboxy,” non-linear adventure, one that may take the characters days or weeks of game time to work through. Adventure Background The so-called “Unclaimed Lands” consist largely of untamed wilderness; thick woodlands, rolling hills that hide whatever lies beyond, broad grasslands through which all manner of dangers crouch. For all that, though, the region is far more heavily populated than some believe. Countless tiny provinces dot the landscape, ruled by would-by barons, dukes, lords, and kings. And for every one of these minuscule fiefdoms of a few hundred people, half a dozen tiny hamlets of a few dozen souls stand between them. The average “kingdom” of the Unclaimed Lands is a town or two with outlying farms, but each has its own identity, and each ruler has his or her pride and ambitions. Some while back, three of those communities not terribly far from the Aachen border — the “Duchy” of Avrandt, the “Barony” of Corvul, and a small province called Vath — all nearly went to war. The cause was nothing of import; some territory or lost livestock to which all three laid claim. Their solution, however, was noteworthy. Rather than spend lives and resources in a war none of them could afford, they engaged in a spot of competition. A Most Peculiar Hunt Where Are the Neighbors? Although few and far between, the Unclaimed Lands do have a few genuine powers above and beyond the petty lords who claim dominion over scattered territories. The Pirate-Count of Turpin, for example, keeps a weather eye on everything going on in and around Avrandt, Corvul, and Vath. These other petty lords watch, however, only for threats to their own interests; they certainly have no intention of involving themselves unless they must. As such, with the exception of a few unfortunate river pirates — see encounter E — Turpin has no involvement in the adventure as written. (The key phrase is, of course, “as written.” If you as GM wish to include them, they would certainly make for fascinating additions to the adventure.) That’s not to say that these other entities have no impact on what’s happening, however. The defensive power of Turpin and the peculiar powers of the Court of Loom Ché are among the primary reasons that so many of the monsters are moving south toward Aachen Province, rather than further into the Unclaimed Lands.

81 A Most Peculiar Hunt Specifically, trophy collecting. The lord who could collect the most numerous and the most interesting exotic trophies would be declared the victor. And by “exotic,” of course, they meant “monsters.” The competition quickly took on a life of its own, and continues now for its own sake. Of even greater consequence, the three lords have begun hiring professional adventurers as monster hunters, turning what was initially only a nuisance to the local bestial population into a genuine threat. And because it’s a genuine threat, the monsters — and even though this hunt is limited to only a small portion of the Unclaimed Lands, there are many — have begun to move. Most have moved south. Toward the Great Amrin River, and toward Aachen, beyond. Playing Politics Thus far, the displaced beasts haven’t crossed the river, but they have interfered — sometimes dramatically so — with travel on the Amrin itself. The inland city of Bard’s Gate, which uses the waterways for an enormous portion of its trade, sends demand after demand that Aachen do something about the situation. The Regional Governors and Landsgrafs of Aachen, of course, delightedly refuse to comply, or even to look into the matter, for the tariffs on Bard’s Gate trade are high, and if the Amrin becomes unusable, the merchants have no option but to use Aachen’s roads. It’s a shortsighted response, at best, but certainly in keeping for most of the province’s nobles and politicians. This, then, is the current situation. Trade suffers. Tensions mount. The nobles of the Unclaimed Lands, and their hirelings, continue their hunt. And the monsters press ever nearer to civilization. The Real Story It’s worth noting that while all three petty lords participating in the competition are involved due to the conflict between their domains and the personal pride now at stake, two of the three also have additional, A Most Peculiar Hunt is written to be very freeform. While the characters do need to find their way through a handful of clues/ questions to the individuals at the center of the trouble, the events and encounters can occur in almost any order. Encounters occur as and when the characters find them, as opposed to one leading directly into the next. Any one of the first four encounters — encounters A through D — can kick off the adventure. Some involve the party stumbling into ongoing events, while others have them more deliberately hired to solve the problem. Choose the one you like best, or that best fits your characters’ current locations. (encounter D is particularly appropriate if you want to fully emphasize the “backwards” nature of the adventure. What better way to start a tale where the monster hunters are the problem, than to have the heroes hired by a monster?) Once the adventure has begun with whichever of those four scenes you’ve chosen, the characters should understand that they need to investigate the Unclaimed Lands, searching for clues as to what’s driving the monsters south. They may wander the wilderness, they may head directly for one of the towns, but either way further encounters (possibly including the rest of the initial four; you can still use them, even if they’re not starting the adventure) occur as and when the characters come across them. Only after days or weeks of searching, and multiple encounters, are the characters likely to have pieced together enough information to get to the heart of things. (And players who are inclined to resort to combat no matter what, rather than speaking when an opponent is capable of it, are going to have a harder time.) A few points to be aware of when running A Most Peculiar Hunt: • The GM is encouraged to reward experience points by milestone, rather than per encounter; otherwise, more careless parties are likely to acquire more experience than those who carefully think things through. Use the following as major milestones: • Gaining the “What’s Happening?” information (see Learning the Whole Story). • Gaining the “Why Is It Happening?” information (again, se Learning the Whole Story). • Learning Sir Habahn is one of the nobles responsible for the monster hunt. • Learning Baroness Ruvaka is one of the nobles responsible for the monster hunt. • Learning Duke Fiodmar is one of the nobles responsible for the monster hunt. • Convincing Sir Habahn to abandon the hunt. • Convincing Baroness Ruvaka to abandon the hunt. • Defeating Duke Fiodmar (see encounter Q). • In addition to all the above, consider throwing in a few minor milestone rewards — if, for instance, the characters go out of their way to rescue bystanders from the monsters, or come up with some particularly clever plans for hunting or luring said monsters — in order to raise the XP value of the adventure high enough to gain 13th level at its conclusion if so desired. • You can play through the traveling/exploration of the Unclaimed Lands wilderness in as much or as little detail — with as few or as many side-quests and random encounters — as you prefer. There’s no right or wrong way to do it, but brush up on the exploration and environmental rules first if you’re planning to go into any great detail. • We encourage the GM to alter the environmental description — weather, time of day, ambient sounds — of each encounter. Since the adventure takes place over weeks or months, characters will doubtless participate in some of these encounters at very different times, or in very different circumstances, than others. • If the players come up with interesting plans to do more than travel around searching, by all means let them. Villages and small hamlets may provide rumors as to the locations of nearby monsters — all with fairly easy efforts, such as DC 10–15 Int (Investigation) or Cha (Persuasion) checks — allowing characters to go straight to them rather than wandering. If they try to tail another group of hunters, more power to them. If the characters try to set bait for flying monsters, drawing the encounters to them, give them at least a chance of success. (As written, many of the encounters can be run unchanged even if they don’t happen in precisely the locations given.) In other words, let the freeform nature of the adventure work both ways, and reward clever thinking with at least potential results. Similarly, the divination spells characters of this level can access — such as commune with nature, contact other plane, or divination — shouldn’t be enough to give them an immediate answer to the mystery, but should provide them with additional means of locating their quarry, or narrowing down their list of suspects once they have one. • Speaking of towns, you’ll note several unnamed communities marked on the map, in addition to Avrandt, Corvul, and Vath. These are other Unclaimed Lands “kingdoms” — again, usually little more than a town or two and some farmland — where the characters might stop and investigate, or at least recuperate. Additional hamlets stand scattered throughout, unmarked on any map. These have no direct bearing on the plot, but provide additional opportunities for roleplaying, information-gathering, and the like. Use them, or not, to whatever extent you prefer. (And see the “Other Fiefdoms” sidebar for more suggestions on how to use them.) • Finally, note that most of the combat encounters in A Most Peculiar Hunt are absolutely deadly, in terms of difficulty. This is quite deliberate. On a gameplay level, it makes up for the fact that characters are likely to have a day or days to heal and recover between encounters; and on a thematic level, it drives home the threat that these monsters pose to civilized lands. Playing in the Sandbox

82 The Lost Lands: Adventures in the Borderland Provinces ulterior motives. Only Sir Habahn the Gray, Lord of Vath, is involved only for the prestige among his peers. A fairly despicable human being hiding behind a veneer of honor, he nonetheless can be persuaded — or, at worst, bribed — to cease his troublesome activities. The Lady Ruvaka, Baroness of Corvul, seeks the same ends — but she also has her people searching for a very specific monster, hoping that the ongoing hunt will eventually drive it into the open. If the characters can assist her in gaining more information about this particular creature, they’ll find her much more amenable to the idea of calling off the competition. (See encounter O) The third of the trio, alas, is likely to prove far more troublesome, for his motives aren’t merely selfish, but malicious. Duke Fiodmar of Avrandt is a doppelganger — an abnormal one, an “impure” one, with power far above most of his ilk and bitter hatred to match — who understands full well the repercussions of everything going on. He’s very deliberately hoping to use the hunt and the forced monster migration to set Aachen and Bard’s Gate at each other’s throats, even while the monsters of the Unclaimed Lands penetrate ever deeper into the civilization to the south. In the end, he wants nothing less than to see Aachen — or even the entirety of the Borderlands — overrun with beasts and blood. (See encounter Q) Fame and Fortune . . . and Foolishness Obviously, no matter how broad one might prefer it to be, any adventure must make certain assumptions. One of the assumptions A Most Peculiar Hunt makes is that a party of 12th-level characters has developed a widespread reputation, and can be treated as such. A second assumption is that the characters didn’t reach 12th level without gaining some understanding of how things work. That they are mature and experienced enough to know that, as powerful as they may be, they have to take political considerations into account. They cannot just strong-arm rulers and nobles — even the rulers of small communities such as those found in the Unclaimed Lands — into obedience. They must negotiate, must be diplomatic; not necessarily to excess, not to the point of groveling, but to the full extent that manners and international relations dictate. If you worry that your players may not understand this, feel free to have one of the Aachen military commanders (see encounters A–D), or an equivalent NPC, point out that making enemies of prideful sovereign rulers, however tiny their dominions, can have serious repercussions not just for the characters, but potentially for all of Aachen Province. Learning the Whole Story As the characters work their way through these events, they’ll slowly — or not so slowly — discover the people and problems at the heart of everything. They can, however, come to each “stage” of information from multiple directions, by battling or speaking to multiple different monsters and people. As such, the basics of what the characters discover are presented here, in a single location, rather than scattered and repeated (and repeated, and repeated) throughout the various encounters. Any encounter where the characters can learn some of this directs you back here, and explains which portions of this information to provide. Remember not to simply read this to the players as an “info-dump.” Present it as appropriate to the role-playing of a given scene and NPC, depending on where and how the characters acquire it. (Feel free to spice this up with a bit more detail, as given in the Introduction, above; just be sure not to give away knowledge the characters shouldn’t have yet.) What’s Happening? Monsters are moving south from the hills and forests of the Unclaimed Lands in numbers never seen before. They’re already interfering with travel and commerce along the rivers. Bard’s Gate is getting ever angrier, but the Governors and Landsgrafs of Aachen are doing nothing; they like the river becoming dangerous to travel, as it means Bard’s Gate merchants are forced to pay tariffs to use Aachen’s roads. Tensions are starting to rise, and — while politicians choose to ignore this fact — there’s no real reason to think the monsters will stop at the river, since nobody knows why they’re migrating in the first place. Why Is it Happening? Several “kingdoms” in the unclaimed lands nearly went to war, but instead began competing with one another for the most interesting and most numerous “exotic” trophies. What started as a mere nuisance to the region’s monsters has become far more serious, for the competition has taken on a life of its own and the participating lords have hired professional adventurers and monster hunters to scour the area. Now a great many monsters are fleeing the region, and most of them appear to be moving south. Who’s Causing It? While other lords have gotten involved around the edges of the hunt, participating here and there, the competition is driven by, and primarily between, these three: • Duke Fiodmar of Avrandt. • Baroness Ruvaka of Corvul. • Sir Habahn the Gray, of Vath. A. Scuffle on the Bridge The characters find themselves near the Great Bridge, or perhaps within the town at Gretspaan Citadel, when a mercantile and political dispute threatens to break out into a riot. It’s been an uneventful if beautiful morning. Beams of cloud-filtered sunlight brush the backs and shoulders of passersby, glint off the walls of shops and homes, paint dappled and dancing patterns across the surface of the Great Amrin River. The constant rough song of the waterway, however, and the constant muttering of the town as it goes about its business, are slowly chipped away by a rising chorus of frustration and anger from the Gretspaan side of the Great Bridge. If the characters aren’t the sort to investigate such things on their own initiative, you can have one of the local guard captains recognize them — by reputation if not personally — and ask them to step in, just in case things turn ugly. In either case, once they reach the bridge, continue with the following. Gathered near the gates on the massive stone expanse is a fairly large caravan. Multiple wagons, their horses and mules rolling their eyes and fidgeting at the raised voices, are packed together at the rear of a small but growing crowd. While several blustery fellows in the fancy garb of inland merchants stand at the forefront of the throng, a great many of the men and women gathered behind them wear the battered armor and stern expressions of swords-for-hire. Facing them are a roughly equal number of Gretspaan’s soldiers, and while they’re doing a decent job of keeping a calm façade, even from here you can see white knuckles clenched on hilts, hear the angry creaking of leather and grinding of teeth. It’s difficult to make out precisely what’s being said—shouted, really—but it’s something to do with a disagreement over tariffs. The topic’s hardly surprising, but the vehemence, and the lurking pall of rage and violence, seem abnormal. Both forces, the Bard’s Gate caravan guards and the Gretspaan soldiers, consist primarily of male and female human guards, with a handful of veterans and knights representing officers and commanders.

83 A Most Peculiar Hunt

84 The Lost Lands: Adventures in the Borderland Provinces This isn’t really a combat situation, though it’s vaguely possible the characters might have to restrain or “soften up” a few loudmouths. For the most part, the party’s reputation — and the fact that nobody here has gotten quite angry enough to want a genuine diplomatic incident — should be enough to quell the growing furor. Once the characters gain everyone’s attention, a DC 15 Cha (Intimidation or Persuasion) check is enough to calm everyone. The DC drops to 10 if the characters can throw their muscle around a bit without actually harming anyone or making anyone fear for their lives first. Once things are calm, the characters learn that the caravan represents a number of merchants from Bard’s Gate. They feel that, since travel on the river has become unsafe, Aachen should lower the tariffs for use of the roads for trade. The Aachen soldiers, obviously, have neither the inclination nor the authority to do so. Either the guard captain (human knight) or Obral Dulas (male human noble), the lead merchant of the caravan, can give the characters all the information presented in the “What’s Happening?” section, above. This is hopefully enough to get the characters interested in investigating, but see the “What’s In It For Us?” sidebar, if necessary. B. Bugbears on the Banks! Your wanderings along the banks of the Great Amrin River have been peaceful and pleasant. The sun is bright without growing too hot, the clouds and the birds cast gentle shadows, and the river itself rushes and gurgles its part of the conversation as you walk. All that changes, however, as you round a bend, the sights and sounds of battle striking you at once! Up ahead, a shallow-keeled boat, likely a merchant of some sort, struggles against a pull far more dangerous than the current. A number of heavy ropes have been harpooned to the ship, and a sizable crew of furry, heavily muscled goblinoids is slowly dragging the vessel ever nearer the northern bank! Additional bugbears — for those are, indeed, what the foul creatures must be — swim out into the rushing waters, powerful strokes carrying them toward the listing boat. Several guards rush to the rails, loosing crossbow bolts at the oncoming marauders, but they’re very clearly outmatched — to say nothing of literally off-balance. At the characters’ level, a band of bugbears is no great threat, but the circumstances make them a bit more than the nuisance they otherwise might be. The party may have to cross the river before they can engage, unless they’re already on the north side for some reason or have particularly long-range spells prepared, as the river stands well over a 100ft wide at this point. The merchant vessel is considered difficult terrain, due to the constant tug of the ropes, and battling in the water is never easy. Fortunately, if the characters manage to engage the bugbears on shore, the remainder move quickly to join the combat. There are 12 bugbears total; 6 on the shore, 3 in the water between bank and boat, and 3 that had just reached the boat and were about to start climbing when the characters arrived. Assume those nearest the boat require 2 rounds to reach the bank, while those halfway can reach it in 1. Bugbear (12): AC 16; HP 27 (5d8 + 5); Spd 30ft; Melee morningstar (+4, 2d8 + 2 bludgeoning); Ranged javelin (+4, 30ft/120ft, 2d6 + 2 piercing); SA surprise attack (extra 2d6 damage on first attack in first round against surprised opponent); Str +2, Dex +2, Con +1, Int –1, Wis +0, Cha –1; Skills Stealth +6, Survival +2; Senses darkvision 60ft; Traits brute (melee weapon deals extra die of damage, included above); AL CE; CR 1; XP 200. Equipment: hide armor, shield, morningstar, 6 javelins. If nine of the bugbears are slain, the remainder attempt to flee. Questioning captured bugbears, or the captain of the merchant vessel (female human noble), provides the characters with the information from the “What’s Happening?” section, above. C. The Natural Order The characters might be traveling the bank of the Amrin or the roads running along the Aachen border. Screams and shouting shatter the peace of the day. Up ahead, at the very outskirts of one of the region’s many towns, an angry crowd stands gathered. Most are clutching weapons — some genuine, such as bows and swords, others makeshift, like pitchforks and cudgels — and all are shouting and swearing, trying to push forward but held back as though by an unseen barrier. The source of their anger is obvious. Standing before them, facing down the entire crowd, is a graceful, silver-haired woman in worn leathers. Feather-and-bone tokens dangle from bracelets on both arms and from combs in her hair; even from here she looks exhausted, covered in the dust and grime of the road, but she shows no sign of faltering. Behind her, sprawled in the dirt and clearly injured, is a scaled, leathery reptilian thing. It’s only as you draw slightly nearer, that you recognize it as a wyvern! The woman, Annohka (female human Drd10) is, like the monsters themselves, recently displaced from her home in the forests of the Unclaimed Lands. The rest of the folks here are just frightened villagers. The wyvern is too injured even to defend itself and is not a viable threat or combatant. The characters’ arrival is enough to calm things down, and both Annohka and Calin (male human scout), the town’s chief hunter and head of the angry mob, are willing to talk to them. When portraying the characters, Annohka is calm, determined, but weary and at the edge of her patience; Calin is angry at her interference, but at heart just wants to protect his home and his people. Over the course of conversation, the characters learn what happened, and it’s simple indeed. The town was attacked by the wyvern, who threatened both people and livestock. The people banded together to fight it, and were just about to finish it off when “this interfering druid!” arrived. Annohka admits that she stopped them from killing it (she was interposing herself and her antilife shield between the villagers and the wyvern when the characters arrived), but only because it was already trying to flee. She points out that it, too, has been driven from its home, and has clearly learned not to bother this village any longer. The characters can decide whether to let the wounded wyvern go or allow the townsfolk to finish it off. (Or even do so themselves.) As neutral outsiders — and powerful, respected ones — both Annohka and the villagers abide by their decision. Regardless of how it turns out, Annohka will then share with the characters the background information presented in “What’s Happening?” If the characters look as though they’ll demand a reward, she has none to offer, but you might have a contingent of Aachen soldiers arrive a bit later to investigate the disturbance. This allows you to move on to the “What’s In It For Us?” sidebar. D. Wyrm Food! This is a good encounter to begin the adventure if the characters are further from the border (you can choose a village in a different spot than marked on the map), or to emphasize the monster/monster-hunter switch, as suggested above. Your first sign of trouble is the sight of several panicked people fleeing toward you, past you. They are clad in the

85 A Most Peculiar Hunt loose, worn garb of field workers, but from the looks on their faces, they’ve just encountered something rather worse than a rotting crop or an infestation in the soil. One points a trembling finger, scarcely even slowing, and now you can see why. It circles in the sky around a small farming town, occasionally bathing the ground beneath it in caustic, poisonous fumes. The sun gleams an almost sickly green from its scales, and its outspread wings cast a fearsome shadow over the land as it soars in its wide arc. Dragon. None of the villagers are out trying to fight this monster, and as the characters draw near, they discover the town cloaked in a disturbing silence. Fortunately, this isn’t the pall of death, just a whole lot of people trying very hard not to attract attention. As the characters near, a DC 12 Int (Investigation) or Wis (Perception) check reveals that the dragon actually isn’t attacking the town. Thus far, while it has poisoned some crops and a few examples of livestock that didn’t run quite fast enough, it has very specifically kept its breath angled just far enough out that no villagers were endangered. As the characters near, the wyrm banks upward, coming to a halt, wings spread wide — and then lands with an earth-shaking whump some dozen yards before the party. “I AM KHYTHONTORRYX, CALLED TREE-BLIGHT, CALLED THE WOODLAND KING, CALLED THE EATERIN-DUSK.” The creature’s voice is the clash of thunder, the splintering and collapsing of ancient trees. Even the faint trace of fumes carried on its breath as it speaks is enough to make your eyes blur and burn, your lungs to scream in pain. “AND I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU.” Allow the party to make DC 10 checks (any Int or Wis skills that sound remotely viable to you) to recognize that Khythontorryx (adult green dragon) is possibly beyond their abilities. If they attack anyway, the dragon is happy to battle for a few rounds, all while explaining that they’re wasting their time, and possibly their lives. Assuming they do eventually talk, the dragon explains that its seeming attack on the village was meant to attract their attention, or someone like them. He provides them with the “What’s Happening?” information (in his own arrogant, condescending way), and also that he has reason to believe the local humans are somehow involved in what’s happening (though he has no further details). He demands that the characters put a stop to it. When the players ask (and they will) why he cares, read the following. The dragon lacks the ability to mimic most human expressions, but you’d almost get the impression he’s just the tiniest bit… embarrassed? “THE WOODS TO THE NORTH WERE MY TERRITORY SOME TIME AGO, IN SLIGHTLY YOUNGER DAYS, AND I WAS… ADVENTUROUS IN MY ASSIGNATIONS. SEVERAL OF THE BEASTS AND BLOODLINES THAT HAVE BEEN DISPLACED ARE OFFSPRING OF MINE. I WOULD SEE THEM RETURNED HOME. “AND SPEAKING OF…” Khythontorryx lowers his head, as though to meet you at eye level, even though said eye is larger than your own heads. “I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT SOME MAY GIVE YOU NO CHOICE IN THE MATTER, BUT WHERE POSSIBLE, YOU WILL DO YOUR BEST NOT TO SLAUGHTER ANY OF MY CHILDREN. IF YOU MUST, SO BE IT. IF YOU DO SO WHEN YOU HAD OTHER OPTION, I WILL BE… DISPLEASED.” As is to be expected with a green dragon, Khythontorryx isn’t telling the entire truth. Oh, he does have offspring who have been displaced by the hunt, and all things being equal he’d rather not see most of them homeless or dead, but he really doesn’t care all that much. No, his interest is in making certain that one particular child of his — one who has grown in power enough to suggest he may one day match his father, and whom the dragon now sees as a potential threat or rival — comes out second-best in conflict with the characters. This particular child Khythontorryx does want dead, but he won’t say so outright; he simply trusts that the heroes will have no choice. See encounter Q. Random Encounters The spread of monsters throughout the region isn’t remotely limited to the areas marked on the map. While the characters are in the Unclaimed Lands, roll 1d6 three times per day: early in the day, late in the day, and middle of the night. On a roll of 1, a random encounter occurs. Not every encounter needs to lead to combat, though; the characters might be able to spot and avoid trouble if they prefer, should the circumstances allow it. (If you roll an encounter in an inappropriate environment — giant crocodiles nowhere near water, for instance — feel free to either reroll or treat as no encounter.) Monster Hunt Random Encounters 1d20 Encounter 1–2 1d6+2 basilisks2 3–4 4x1d4 dire wolves 5 1d4 green dracolisks1, * 6 1d4+1 giant crocodiles 7–8 1d8+8 gnolls 9 1d8+8 bugbears 10–11 2d8+4 goblins 12 1d8+2 manticores2 What’s In It For Us? Several different factions can potentially offer the characters a monetary reward for looking into these events. While the bulk of Aachen’s nobles are quite happy to ignore future repercussions in favor of the new status quo, in terms of the danger to commerce on the Amrin, a few of the local Landsgrafs and Foerdewaith military leaders are more forward-thinking. Thus, while they can’t be too public about it, they’re willing to pay under the table for someone to investigate the monster migrations. If the characters interact with an Aachen guard captain (encounters A, B, and possibly C), the officer can slip them an offer of 2000gp per character and the gratitude of several local nobles. The merchants of Bard’s Gate, of course, have a vested monetary interest in making the river safe again. The merchants (encounters A or B) are willing to offer a larger reward — 3000gp per character — but this also earns the party some measure of distrust, moving forward, from Aachen’s nobility. (Note that the Aachen guard captain revokes his offer if the characters accept the merchant’s.) If the characters press Khythontorryx for a reward, he actually offers one (mostly out of an amused respect for their gumption). The dragon’s offer is a flat 10,000gp and the party’s choice of one of the following: a staff of frost, a helm of brilliance, or a spellguard shield. He suggests, if the characters raise the topic, that they not ask where he got these. Note that, in all cases, the rewards are presented only after the characters’ succeed, never in advance.

86 The Lost Lands: Adventures in the Borderland Provinces 1d20 Encounter 13–14 1d8+8 ogres 15 2d4 owlbears2 16 1 quickwood 17 1 two-headed troll and 1d4 trolls2 18 1d4+1 wyverns1 19–20 2 young green dragons1, * 1 Encounters marked with a superscript 1 can only occur once. Treat rerolls as “no encounter.” 2 Encounters marked with a superscript 2 can only occur twice. Treat rerolls beyond the second as “no encounter.” *Creatures marked with an asterisk are offspring of Khythontorryx, the green dragon. If the characters already know Khythontorryx’s name, they can use it to intimidate the offspring into standing down, but only once they’re already reduced to below one-quarter hit points. If the characters are instead attempting to learn the dragon’s name, the offspring can be pressured into revealing it in exchange for their lives; again, this requires they be below one-quarter hit points. In either case, this requires a DC 15 Cha (Intimidation) check. (If made against the sole survivor of an encounter, the check has tactical advantage.) Basilisk: AC 15; HP 52 (8d8+16); Spd 20ft; Melee bite (+5, 2d6+3 piercing plus 2d6 poison); Str +3, Dex –1, Con +2, Int –4, Wis –1, Cha –2; Senses darkvision 60ft; Traits petrifying gaze (30ft, restrained then petrified, DC 12 Con repeat); AL U; CR 3; XP 700. Bugbear: AC 16; HP 27 (5d8+5); Spd 30ft; Melee morningstar (+4, 2d8+2 piercing); Ranged javelin (+4, 30ft/120ft, 1d6+2 piercing); Str +2, Dex +2, Con +1, Int –1, Wis +0, Cha –1; Skills Stealth +6, Survival +2; Senses darkvision 60ft; Traits brute, surprise attack (extra 2d6); AL CE; CR 1; XP 200. Crocodile, Giant: AC 14; HP 85 (9d12+27); Spd 30ft, swim 50ft; Melee bite (+8, 3d10+5 piercing plus restraint, escape DC 16), tail (+8, 10ft, 2d8+5 bludgeoning plus knocked prone, DC 16 Str, target not restrained by bite); SA multiattack (bite, tail); Str +5, Dex –1, Con +3, Int –4, Wis +0, Cha –2; Skills Stealth +5, Traits hold breath (30 min); AL U; CR 5; XP 1800. Dracolisk, Green: AC 17; HP 114 (12d10+48); Spd 30ft, fly 60ft; Melee bite (+8, 2d8+5 piercing), claws (+8, 3d8+5 slashing); SA poison breath (recharge 5–6, 30ft cone, 4d8 poison, DC 15 Con half), multiattack (bite, claws), petrifying gaze (30ft line of sight, restrained then petrified, DC 15 Con repeat); Immune paralysis, poison, petrify; Str +5, Dex +1, Con +4, Int –2, Wis +1, Cha +1; Skills Perception +4; Senses darkvision 60ft; AL U; CR 7; XP 2900. (Fifth Edition Foes 85) Dragon, Young Green: AC 18; HP 136 (16d10+48); Spd 40ft, fly 80ft, swim 40ft; Melee bite (+7, 10ft, 2d10+4 piercing plus 2d6 poison), claw (+7, 2d6+4 slashing); SA multiattack (bite, claw x2), poison breath (recharge 5–6, 30ft cone 12d6 poison, DC 14 Con half); Immune poison; Str +4, Dex +1 (+4), Con +3 (+6), Int +3, Wis +1 (+4), Cha +2 (+5); Skills Deception +5, Perception +7, Stealth +4; Senses blindsight 30ft, darkvision 120ft; Traits amphibious; AL LE; CR 8; XP 3900. Gnoll: AC 15; HP 22 (5d8); Spd 30ft; Melee spear (+4, 1d6+2 piercing) or bite (+4, 1d4+2 piercing); Ranged longbow (+3, 150ft/600ft, 1d8+1 piercing); SA rampage (reduce target to 0hp with melee, bonus to move half speed and make a bite); Str +2, Dex +1, Con +0, Int –2, Wis +0, Cha –2; Senses darkvision 60ft; AL CE; CR 1/2; XP 100. Goblin: AC 15; HP 7 (2d6); Spd 30ft; Melee scimitar (+4, 1d6+2 slashing); Ranged shortbow (+4, 80ft/320ft, 1d6+2 piercing); SA nimble escape (bonus, disengage or hide); Str –1, Dex +2, Con +0, Int +0, Wis –1, Cha –1; Skills Stealth +6; Senses darkvision 60ft; AL NE; CR 1/4; XP 50. Manticore: AC 14; HP 68 (8d10+24); Spd 30ft, fly 50ft; Melee bite (+5, 1d8+3 piercing), claw (+5, 1d6+3 slashing); Ranged tail spike (+5, 100ft/200ft, 1d8+3 piercing); SA multiattack (bite, claw x2 or tail spike x3); Str +3, Dex +3, Con +3, Int –2, Wis +1, Cha –1; Senses darkvision 60ft; Traits tail spike regrowth (up to 24); AL LE; CR 3; XP 700. Ogre: AC 11; HP 59 (7d10+21); Spd 40ft; Melee greatclub (+6, 2d8+4 bludgeoning); Ranged (+6, 30ft/120ft, 2d6+4 piercing); Str +4, Dex –1, Con +3, Int –3, Wis –2, Cha –2; Senses darkvision 60ft; AL CE; CR 2; XP 450. Owlbear: AC 13; HP 59 (7d10+21); Spd 40ft; Melee beak (+7, 1d10+5 piercing), claws (+7, 2d8+5 slashing); SA multiattack (beak, claws); Str +5, Dex +1, Con +3, Int –4, Wis +1, Cha –2; Skills Perception +3; Senses darkvision 60ft, keen sight and smell; AL U; CR 3; XP 700. Quickwood: AC 14; HP 149 (13d12+65); Spd 10ft; Melee bite (+8, 3d8+5 piercing), root (+8, 30ft, 1d10+5 bludgeoning plus grapple and 15ft closer, escape DC 16); SA fear aura (reaction, 30ft radius, with a damaging spell save, spell absorbed and released as fear, DC 12), grasping roots (if grappled, additional attacks made with tactical advantage, escape or destroy root with AC 14, HP 10); Immune charm, lightning, psychic, stun, unconscious; Resist bludgeoning, piercing; Vulnerable fire; Str +5, Dex –2 (+1), Con +5 (+8), Int +0, Wis +1, Cha +0; Senses darkvision 60ft, remote sensing; AL N; CR 8; XP 3900. (Fifth Edition Foes 190) Troll: AC 15; HP 84 (8d10+40); Spd 30ft; Melee bite (+7, 1d6+4 piercing), claw (+7, 2d6+4 slashing); SA multiattack (bite, claw x2); Str +4, Dex +1, Con +5, Int –2, Wis –1, Cha –2; Skills Perception +2; Senses darkvision 60ft, keen smell; Traits regeneration (10hp/turn); AL CE; CR 5; XP 1800. Troll, Two-Headed: AC 15; HP 105 (10d10+50); Spd 30ft; Melee bite (+7, 1d8+4 piercing), claw (+7, 2d6+4 slashing); SA multiattack (bite x2, claw x2); Str +4, Dex +1, Con +5, Int –1, Wis –1, Cha –2; Skills Perception +5; Senses darkvision 60ft; Traits regeneration (5hp/turn), two heads, wakeful; AL CE; CR 6; XP 2300. (Fifth Edition Foes 235) Wolf, Dire: AC 14; HP 37 (5d10+10); Spd 50ft; Melee bite (+5, 2d6+3 piercing plus knock prone, DC 13 Str); Str +3, Dex +2, Con +2, Int –4, Wis +1, Cha –2; Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4; Skills Perception +3, Stealth +4; Senses keen hearing and smell; Traits pack tactics; AL U; CR 1; XP 200. Wyvern: AC 13; HP 110 (13d10+39); Spd 20ft, fly 80ft; Melee bite (+7, 10ft, 2d6+4 piercing), claws (+7, 2d8+4 slashing), stinger (+7, 10ft, 2d6+4 piercing plus 7d6 poison, DC 15 Con half); SA multiattack (bite, stinger or in flight, claws for one attack); Str +4, Dex +0, Con +3, Int –3, Wis +1, Cha –2; Skills Perception +4; Senses darkvision 60ft; AL U; CR 6; XP 2300.

87 A Most Peculiar Hunt E. Between a Roc and a Hard Place Rolling grasses crunch underfoot, waving in the soft breeze. All around you, soft undulations in the earth create an swelling ocean of greenery. Greenery that abruptly goes dark as an incomprehensibly huge shadow falls over you, accompanied by the soulshriveling shriek of a hungry, massive raptor. You can run this as a straightforward combat, in which case the 2 rocs — who are simply out hunting — swoop and attack. On the other hand, if you want to make things a bit more complicated, continue with the following. Screams of a far more human tone sound from up ahead, accompanied by a terrified whinnying and the creak of wood. A small wagon, presumably the property of a single family, thunders over the rolling plains, the horses clearly panicked and out of control. Fleeing for their lives, a handful of individuals flee in all directions, leaving themselves perfect prey for the rocs!” This family (7 human commoners) was getting out of the way of the monster migration. They chose a really, really bad route. Assuming the characters aren’t complete bastards, they now have to not only defeat the rocs, but lure them in or otherwise protect the fleeing family as well. Roc (2): AC 15; HP 248 (16d20+80); Spd20ft, fly 120ft; Melee beak (+13,10ft, 4d8+9 piercing), talons (+13, 4d6+9 slashing plus grapple, escape DC 19); SA multiattack (beak, talons); Str +9, Dex +0 (+4), Con +5 (+9), Int –4, Wis +0 (+4), Cha –1 (+3); Skills Perception +4; Traits keen sight; AL U; CR 11; XP 700. If both rocs are reduced to 25 hit points — or if one is slain and the other reduced to 40 — it/they attempt to flee. Should the characters succeed in protecting the refugees, the terrified souls can provide the characters all the information in the “Why Is It Happening?” section of Learning the Whole Story, they don’t know if it’s truth or rumor. (They do not, however, have any sense of which lords are responsible for the hunt.) F. Ribbit? Something horrible has emerged from torrent of the river up ahead. An enormous rubbery shape — glistening and croaking, bristling with grasping tentacles and a writhing eyestock above a maw that seems to go on forever — has risen from the water. The current thrashes around it like new-formed rapids, but not so loudly that you cannot hear the rending of wood as the beast tears into what was once a river-worthy craft. As the characters draw nearer, they can make out more detail, including the fact that the boat was shallow-keeled, built for speed, and equipped with ballistae that apparently did them no good in defending themselves. A fish speared on a trident adorns the flag that snaps atop the broken and tilted mast; a DC 12 Int (History) check reveals this to be the symbol of Count Jonas Ranquin of Turpin — and that suggests that the victims of the monster’s attack are likely river pirates. The froghemoth doesn’t know or care about any of that. It’s just hungry and angry. This isn’t a difficult battle for the characters, in terms of challenge rating, but circumstances conspire to make things a bit tougher. First, the froghemoth remains in the depths of the river, requiring characters to boat or swim out to it if they want to attack at melee range. Second, only 3 pirates (male and female human bandits) survive, and they won’t likely last long. If the characters want to talk to or question them, they’ll have to act fast; the froghemoth attacks whoever’s closest (unless it’s just been attacked, in which case it focuses on the attacker). And right now, the pirates are a lot closer than the characters. Froghemoth: AC 15; HP 200 (16d12+96); Spd 20ft, swim 30ft; Melee tentacle grab (+11, reach 15ft, 1d7+7 bludgeoning damage plus grapple, escape DC 17), tentacle crush (automatic hit, targets one creature already grappled by a tentacle at the start of the froghemoth’s turn, 1d10+7 bludgeoning and the target remains grappled), tongue (+11, reach 30ft, 1d6+7 bludgeoning plus grapple and restrain, escape DC 17), bite (+11, targets one creature grappled, 15ft, 2d8+7 piercing and swallowed, DC 18 Dex); SA multiattack (tongue, tentacle x4, bite); Immune lightning; Resist fire; Str +7, Dex +0 (+4), Con +6, Int –4, Wis +1, Cha +0; Skills Perception +5, Stealth +4; Senses darkvision 60ft; Traits all-around vision (attackers never gain tactical advantage or bonus damage from presence of nearby allies), slowed by electricity (slowed for 1 round whenever it would otherwise take lightning damage), swallow (swallowed creature is blinded and restrained, takes 1d8+6 bludgeoning plus 2d8 acid damage at the start of the froghemoth’s turn, can escape using 10ft of movement after froghemoth is dead); AL U; CR 11; XP 7200. (Fifth Edition Foes 107) The froghemoth attempts to flee if reduced to 30 hit points. (Which could be troublesome if anyone’s been swallowed.) If the characters do manage to question a surviving pirate, they learn everything in the “Why Is It Happening?” section, but the pirate can also tell them the name of one of the three lords responsible for the hunt. (GM’s choice as to which of the three he reveals.) Should the characters ask why Turpin isn’t involved in what’s going on, the pirate can explain that Count Jonas is taking a “watch and wait” approach, and has no interest in interfering if he doesn’t have to. G. A Terrifying Amount of Teeth This encounter can occur anywhere near the fork of the two Amrin tributaries marked on the map. The monsters in question are perfectly happy in the water, on the dry land near the banks, or in the thick marsh in and around the fork itself. In the description to follow, choose the first option if the characters are on the river or on the bank; the second if they’re in the marsh. The constant chorus of the [birds of the fields/insects of the bog] cease in mid-chirp. You don’t need to be an expert in the signs of the wilderness to know that something’s not right. The characters have 1 round to take any preparatory actions they wish. Then…

88 The Lost Lands: Adventures in the Borderland Provinces The waters of the [rushing river/shallow marsh] spray outward, propelled by countless thrashing, serpentine forms. What sounds like a thousand hissing screams drowns out the splash and patter of the torrent! There’s not actually a thousand hissing screams, of course. Just, oh, 15 of them. The characters have stumbled into the new hunting grounds of a truly terrifying family grouping of 3 hydras. A couple of them are normal — fearsome enough — but the third is another offspring of Khythontorryx. This half-dragon is just smart enough to direct the other two in rudimentary tactics, making them even more dangerous than ever. The hydras initially attack the party from two or even three different directions at once, and they do their best to stay at least a few yards from each other, making it difficult to catch more than one in an area effect without also catching a character. The half-dragon likely breathes in the first round, if several characters are clumped. Once the other hydras engage, it usually restricts itself to bite attacks, so as not to catch the others of its “pack.” Don’t immediately inform the players that one of the three hydras is different from the others. As the first round or two of combat pass, however, describe the unusual green glint to its scales, the tint of red in its eyes, or the faint acrid wisps drifting from this maw or those nostrils as it breathes. Half-Green Dragon Hydra: AC 15; HP172 (15d12+75); Spd 30ft, swim 30ft; Melee bite (+8, reach 10ft, 1d10+5 piercing); SA multiattack (as many bites as remaining heads), poison breath (recharge 5–6, poison gas in 30ft cone, 12d6 poison damage, DC 14 Con half); Resist poison; Str +5, Dex +1, Con +5, Int –4, Wis +0, Cha –2; Skills Perception +6; Senses blindsight 10ft, darkvision 60ft; Traits hold breath (1 hour), multiple heads (starts with 5 heads; tactical advantage on saving throws against blind, charm, deafen, frighten, stun, or unconscious while it has multiple heads; loses 1 head when it takes 25 or more damage in a single turn, dies if it loses all heads; at the start of its turn, grows 2 heads for each 1 lost since last turn unless it has taken fire damage since last turn; regains 10 hit points for each head regrown), reactive heads (extra opportunity attack for each head beyond 1), wakeful (1 head always awake); AL U; CR 8; XP 3900. Hydra (2): AC 15; HP172 (15d12+75); Spd 30ft, swim 30ft; Melee bite (+8, reach 10ft, 1d10+5 piercing); SA multiattack (as many bites as remaining heads); Str +5, Dex +1, Con +5, Int –4, Wis +0, Cha –2; Skills Perception +6; Senses darkvision 60ft; Traits hold breath (1 hr), multiple heads (starts with 5 heads; tactical advantage on saving throws against blind, charm, deafen, frighten, stun, or unconscious while it has multiple heads; loses 1 head when it takes 25 or more damage in a single turn, dies if it loses all heads; at the start of its turn, grows 2 heads for each 1 lost since last turn unless it has taken fire damage since last turn; regains 10 hit points for each head regrown), reactive heads (extra opportunity attack for each head beyond 1), wakeful (1 head always awake); AL U; CR 8; XP 3900. The two normal hydras are beasts of pure rage and appetite, and thus fight to the death. The half-dragon can be intimidated into fleeing if • It is down to two heads permanently (due to fire damage) and has fewer than 30 hit points, or • It is down to three heads permanently (due to fire damage), has fewer than 50 hit points, and the other two hydras are dead. This requires a DC 20 Cha (Intimidate) check, or DC 15 if the character making the check speaks Draconic. (The hydra, more intelligent than most, understands a few words in that language.) If the characters know and invoke the name of Khythontorryx, this Cha (Intimidate) check has tactical advantage. If the characters do not know the dragon’s name, they can learn it from the half-dragon hydra. The hydra must already be Intimidated and prepared to retreat, and the characters must specifically ask it about the dragon’s name (or “your sire’s name,” or something similar) in Draconic, or under the effect of magic such as tongues. H. The Really Odd Couple You can either run this encounter at the outskirts of Corvul (see encounter O), while the characters are waiting to see Baroness Ruvaka, or you can run it at one of the small towns near to Corvul. In either case, as written, the encounter assumes the characters are already within the town, but you can alter it so that it occurs as they’re approaching. Cries of anger and fear, the pounding of feet, the clamor of bells, all make it sound as though full-scale war has erupted! And as you approach the edge of town, it looks almost as though it has. A small phalanx of militia have formed up to face an invading force that towers not only over the defenders, but over some of the buildings standing alongside! Grotesque, lumbering brutes, each the height of a house, stomp and tromp up from the countryside, hefty logs dangling from their fists and uncured hides tied across their loins and shoulders. At the head of the column, floating forward as though standing on some invisible platform, are two creatures of blue skin and bone-white hair, easily as tall as the ogres they lead but far more slender of build. Their eyes gleam an evil yellow and they cackle madly as they near, barbed pole-arms clutched in their clawed fists. The characters have just had the misfortune to meet Udruusik and Zassabar, 2 oni — a mated pair, in fact — and their 10 ogre minions. (As the characters draw nearer, you can make it more clear that one of the oni is male, the other female. Even during the attack, they’re fawning over and pawing each other like hormonal teens; to what degree you want to go into describing that is entirely up to you and the sensitivities of your players.) Allow the characters to attempt DC 15 Int (Investigation or Nature) checks. On a success, the character recognizes that these two are fairly young as oni go. They’re full-grown adults — and just as powerful as any others — but perhaps somewhat less disciplined and mature in their behavior. If the characters just charge into combat, Udruusik, Zassabar, and the ogres are happy to oblige; fighting is why they’re here. And indeed, if the characters do nothing, the invaders attack anyway. It’s a winnable fight for the characters, but a brutal one. More to the point, there are going to be a lot of casualties. The town militia, or at least the portion that’s arrived thus far, consists of 10 human guards and a pair of veteran officers. They’re ridiculously outmatched, and that’s not even counting the countless commoners who are still attempting to flee the area. (If the characters engage the invaders, the town militia focuses on getting the civilians to safety, rather than participating directly in the battle.) People are going to die if this turns bloody; make that absolutely clear to the characters. But if they think of it, the characters do have another option. The oni may be evil, but unlike many of the monsters the party may have faced thus far, they’re intelligent and quite capable of communicating. And they’re young. This makes them outwardly brash, but internally less sure of themselves than they otherwise might be. And the truth is, they have no business being here. They’re just looking to use the monster migration and general chaos as an excuse to work out some bloodlust. If the characters call out, wave a flag of parley, or otherwise take any noticeable steps at attracting the oni’s attention, read the following. The first of the vile creatures screeches at you, his words sounding like fingernails on slate. “I am Udruusik!”

89 A Most Peculiar Hunt “And I am Zassabar!” screams the second, her voice that of a cat impaled on a hot spike. They pause after their announcement to trade a deep, passionate, and — even from this distance — utterly revolting kiss, lips flopping together like dead fish, their intertwining tongues resembling a pair of giant dancing maggots. “We have come here,” Udruusik shrieks again when they’re finally done, twin lines of spittle dangling from is mouth, “seeking vengeance!” If the characters can keep the oni talking — and it’s not difficult to do so; so long as nobody’s attacked the invaders yet, it requires only a DC 12 Cha (Deception or Persuasion) check — continue with the following. Zassabar takes over the conversation — well, the tirade — once more. “For too long you humans have tormented our brethren, those you would insultingly call ‘monsters,’ and this great hunt of yours is the final offense! No more will you be allowed to slaughter us with impunity! No more will you drive us from our homes and hunting grounds! No more…” As the litany of sins continues, allow any characters involved in the conversation to attempt a DC 18 Wis (Insight) check. Those who succeed begin to suspect that oni are playing to an audience. They’re putting on a performance of some sort, as opposed to actually believing the speech they’re giving. These characters also realize at this point that Udruusik and Zassabar are being as much like adolescents as adults, far less subtly (and frankly less intelligently) than “normal” oni. Nor is this the only clue the characters have that something’s a bit off. “These are but the first!” the oni continues, gesturing back at the ogres who follow. “We have come from the untamed wilds, where we have lived in hardship with our ‘monstrous’ brothers and sisters, so that we might wreak our revenge upon you and all who—” Her rant is interrupted by a confused mutter — which, from the mouth of an ogre, might as well be a bellow, so loudly and clearly can you hear it. “Wilds? Thought we from Ché’s place.” He turns to poke his nearest fellow ogre in the arm. “Wasn’t us from Ché’s place?” The oni turn and begin screaming abuse (in Giant) at their dimwitted followers, and the characters make another skill check. Any character who succeeds in a DC 15 Int (History) check recognizes the reference to “Ché’s place” as the Court of Loom Ché. (Characters native to the Unclaimed Lands or the northern reaches of Aachen gain tactical advantage on this check. If a player makes the connection on his or her own, with a die roll — and assuming the player’s character has actually had dealings with the Court, as opposed to the player just remembering it from reading the Borderlands Provinces — no skill check is required.) Once a check has succeeded, share with that player the basics of the Court as described in the sourcebook: Loom Ché’s alien nature, the monstrous inhabitants of the Court, and so forth. Make a point of mentioning that the Court survives by cooperating with human civilization, that it has tight economic ties with multiple communities, and so forth. Make it clear, as well, to anyone who succeeded in the earlier Wis (Insight) check, that these two oni are obviously brash youngsters simply looking for an excuse to shed some blood, as opposed to actual victims of the hunt or champions of the “oppressed” monsters. At this point, it’s in the player’s hands to figure out how to use that knowledge. If the characters correctly deduce that the oni couple’s behavior would not meet with the approval of the Court — or the other oni therein — and might even cause political friction between Loom Ché and his partners, they can make that argument to Zassabar and Udruusik. Once they’ve done so, it requires only a DC 15 Cha (Intimidate) check to make the oni stand down, to retreat back into the wild with the ogres at their back and tails tucked between their legs. Trying to intimidate the oni to back off without using Loom Ché’s displeasure as a threat requires a DC 25 check, and failure results in immediate combat — as, of course, does any effort on the part of the characters to defend themselves or the town with violence of their own. Udruusik and Zassabar, Oni (2): AC 16; HP 110 (13d10+39); Spd 30ft, fly 30ft; Melee claw (+7, 1d8+4 slashing) or glaive (+7, 10ft, 2d10+4 or 1d10+4 slashing in S/M form); SA change shape, innate spells (Cha, DC 13), multiattack (claw x2 or glaive x2); Str +4, Dex +0 (+3), Con +3 (+6), Int +2, Wis +1 (+4), Cha +2 (+5); Skills Arcana +5, Deception +8, Perception +4; Senses darkvision 60ft; Traits magic weapons, regeneration (10/turn with at 1hp); AL LE; CR 7; XP 2900. Innate Spells: at will—darkness, invisibility; 1/day— charm person, cone of cold, gaseous form, sleep Equipment: chain mail, glaive. Ogre (10): AC 11; HP 59 (7d10+21); Spd 40ft; Melee greatclub (+6, 2d8+4 bludgeoning); Ranged javelin (+6, 30ft/120ft, 2d6+4 piercing); Str +4, Dex –1, Con +3, Int –3, Wis –2, Cha –2; Senses darkvision 60ft; AL CE; CR 2; XP 450. Equipment: hide armor, greatclub, 4 javelins. If the two oni are each reduced to 30 hit points or fewer and at least seven of the ogres are dead, they order a retreat (but might return at some future date to avenge their humiliation). If one of the oni is slain, however, the other fights to the death in grief-stricken fury. The ogres fight to the death unless ordered by an oni to fall back. Once the oni are driven off or defeated, the villagers can offer the characters the information from the “Why Is It Happening?” section, as well as the knowledge that Baroness Ruvaka is one of the primary nobles behind the monster hunt. I. Throwing a Party This encounter has no fixed location, but instead occurs as and when the GM chooses. Optimal placement is some time after the characters have experienced several monster encounters and are fully engaged in the adventure, but before they’ve learned who is responsible for the hunts. (If you prefer to make it random, rather than choosing, you can do that. Once the characters are deep into the Unclaimed Lands, when you roll a d6 for random encounters, any time the result is a 1, roll the d6 again before rolling the d20. If that second d6 comes up a 1 or 2, this encounter occurs rather than one from the chart. This only happens once.) Whether you choose or roll randomly, adjust the descriptions accordingly for environment, time of day, etc. At the start of the encounter, Imriss (female human assassin) is stealthily observing the party. Should they detect her — which requires a DC 21 Wis (Perception) check — she sheepishly reveals herself and waves for the rest of her group to join her. If she remains undetected, her group instead reveal themselves by popping up around the characters, mocking them about being careless. In neither case do they initiate hostilities, though they’ll defend themselves if attacked (all while trying to convince the characters that they’re not enemies). However it comes about, eventually read the following: The figures skillfully materializing around you out of the wilds look remarkably familiar. Not in the specifics, no — you don’t know these people personally — but in type. The slender, hawk-faced man in traveling wools and a heavy over-robe; the stealthy figure in worn leathers; the burly pair armed with spear and shield. Oh, you definitely recognize a fellow adventuring party when you see one.

90 The Lost Lands: Adventures in the Borderland Provinces This isn’t just some group of wannabe monster hunters, but rather one of the professional adventuring companies who have been engaged in this hunt for months—and thus one of the primary reasons the entire affair turned from a mere nuisance to a potential local calamity. Along with Imriss, this group consists of Dovrath (male human archmage) and the brother-sister team of Torval and Yndra (male and female human variant gladiators). It doesn’t take much interaction for the characters to recognize that Dovrath — in addition to being somewhat smug and arrogant — is also the team leader. The group initially assumes that the characters are hired monster hunters like themselves, working on behalf of one of the three nobles; assuming the characters don’t attack them or otherwise interrupt, they begin by bragging of their latest kill (a family of manticores), and asking the characters about their own victories. If the players think to maintain the charade, acting the part and subtly digging for information, they can learn a great deal. Have the players roleplay accordingly, then allow them to make group DC 12 Cha (Deception) checks. • If the check succeeds, the characters can learn everything in the “Why Is It Happening?” section. • If the check succeeds by 5 or more (17 or higher), the characters also learn that this particular group of hunters is working for Duke Fiodmar of Avrandt. • If the check succeeds by 10 or more (22 or higher), the characters can also gain the name of one of the other two nobles involved in the hunt — either Baroness Ruvalka, of Corvul, or Sir Habahn, of Vath, GM’s choice as to which. Eventually, however, Dovrath and the others realize that they’ve been played, that the characters aren’t fellow monster hunters and have some other interest in what’s going on. If the above check fails, this happens immediately. Otherwise, it slowly dawns on him after the characters have obtained their information that something’s amiss. (If one of your players accidentally lets something slip in conversation while roleplaying, that can be the trigger, though you should still let them obtain all the information they’ve earned first.) Once that happens, the monster hunters turn hostile. They don’t attack, but they do proceed to threaten the characters, promising all sort of ugly retribution if they interfere with the hunt (which is one of the more profitable ventures Dovrath’s group has had in a while.) After making their feelings quite clear, they storm off back into the wilderness. Note, however, that if the characters instigate violence, the hunters respond in kind, rather than trying to talk the characters down as they did earlier. Otherwise, however, this remains a noncombat encounter. (See encounter R for the adventuring party’s stats, if combat does break out.) J. Big Decisions Here, in a rocky portion of the hills on the borders of the Unclaimed Lands, a gathering is occurring, one that could have severe consequences for the entire region. A cloud giant, one of the nobles and leaders of the region’s giant community, is meeting with 3 stone giants, emissaries of their own people who speak with the authority of their own chieftain. The four of them are currently debating whether to wage open war on the local human communities, in response to the monster hunts (which have claimed several giant lives already). Other types of giants dwell in the area — hill giants, in particular, as well “lesser” giant-kin like ogres, ettins, and trolls — but these four know that where the cloud and stone giants lead in this matter, the others will follow. It’s entirely possible for the characters to simply stumble into this encounter if they’re exploring the hills. The giants are meeting in a small valley in the hills and trying to keep their presence secret, but “quiet” for giants is still more than loud enough to hear from a distance. Alternatively, though, the characters might learn about this meeting from other giants they encounter. Several of the region’s random encounters are with giant-kin of various sorts, and some of the ogres accompanying the ogre mages in encounter H might also have heard something. In either case, conversation during combat or questioning survivors afterward could, at your discretion, alert the characters that something important is happening here in the hills. The rumble is so low, so pervasive, that at first you wonder if you’re feeling a mild earth tremor. Only as you draw nearer do you realize you’re hearing voices, inhumanly deep and potent. Inside a small valley, a depression in the rocky hills that appears even smaller thanks to them, stand a quartet of humanoid figures so large it’s difficult to fathom. Three of them appear almost made of stone, their flesh rocky and hairless and all sharp angles. Each is thrice as tall as an average man, yet the fourth towers over even them, and by an additional human’s height! She appears to be flesh, not stone, but her skin is a peculiar violet and stretched taut over obscenely bulging muscles.” If any of the characters speak Giant (or have tongues or similar magic affecting them) they can determine that the giants are, as mentioned above, debating the merits of declaring war on all of local human civilization in retaliation for the hunt. It sounds as though they’re leaning toward deciding to do it. If the characters attack, or make themselves known without any attempt at communication, combat ensues and the giants fight to the death. (This may result in the giants launching attacks on nearby communities later on. That’s your call as GM, and beyond the scope of this adventure.) If the characters talk fast, however, the giants are willing to hear them out. The obvious approach is for the characters to explain: • That only a few select human leaders — not everyone nearby — are behind the hunt. (If the characters point out that what the giants are doing now, in terms of meeting to make a unified decision, is more advanced and enlightened than how local human lords operate, grant the characters a +2 bonus on the upcoming check.) • That the characters themselves are currently working to stop the monster hunts. Of course, players are creative, and might choose an entirely different approach. If so, decide for yourself if the arguments they put forth have any real logic behind them and would make sense to the giants. Once they’ve made their case, and perhaps roleplayed through some discussion or argument, allow one of the characters to make a DC 22 Cha (Persuasion, or other if their choice of approach suggests something else) check. If you really feel as though the argument or approach the characters chose wouldn’t make sense to the giants — appealing to their sense of mercy, for instance — this check has tactical disadvantage. If the characters are willing to toss in a suitable bribe (and the giants won’t be subtle in hinting that their patience can be bought), they gain a cumulative +1 bonus on the check for every 1000gp-worth of the bribe. If the characters succeed, the giants agree to hold off making any decisions for a fortnight (plus one additional day for each point by which the check result exceeded the DC). Once that deadline has passed, however, the characters had better have succeeded in ending the hunt. Otherwise, the giants will consider attacking, as mentioned above (which, also as mentioned above, can lead to further adventures but is beyond the scope of this one). Cloud Giant: AC 14; HP 200 (16d12+96); Spd 40ft; Melee morningstar (+12,10ft, 3d8+8 piercing); Ranged rock (+12, 60ft/240ft, 4d10+8 bludgeoning); SA innate spells (Cha+7, DC 15), multiattack (morningstar x2); Str +8, Dex +0, Con +6 (+9), Int +1, Wis +3 (+7), Cha +3 (+7); Skills Insight +7, Perception +7; Traits keen smell; AL NE; CR 9; XP 5000. Innate Spells: at will—detect magic, fog cloud, light; 3/day—feather fall, fly, misty step, telekinesis; 1/day— control weather, gaseous form. Equipment: morningstar, rocks. Stone Giant (3): AC 17; HP 126 (11d12+55); Spd 40ft; Melee greatclub (+9, 15ft, 3d8+6 bludgeoning); Ranged rock (+9, 60ft/240ft, 4d10+6 bludgeoning); SA multiattack (greatclub x2); Str +6, Dex +2 (+5), Con +5 (+8), Int +0, Wis +1 (+4), Cha –1; Skills Athletics +12, Perception +4;

91 A Most Peculiar Hunt Senses darkvision 60ft; Traits rock catching (reaction, DC 10 Dex save to catch rock without taking damage), stone camouflage; AL N; CR 7; XP 2900. Equipment: greatclub, rocks. K. Dead Wyverns This rocky hilltop was clearly once an aerie, once the home to a family of wyverns. Once. A ring of stacked rocks surrounds a clutch of shattered eggs, and winged, reptilian corpses lie draped over and around the nest and the dry earth. This happened within the last day or two, you’d guess; the blood is dried, but the bodies have only begun to rot. A number of small bits—fangs, stingers, wingtip claws—are missing, having been meticulously cut loose from the corpses. If you’d like, you can add an encounter here—a few wyverns returning to find the rest of the family dead—but otherwise, this isn’t a combat encounter. Rather, it’s simply a sign of the reach and extent of the ongoing monster hunt. It’s also an opportunity for the characters to learn about one of the hunt’s participants, if they haven’t already. A DC 20 Wis (Survival) check allows the characters to track the hunters who killed these wyverns back to the town of Vath (see encounter P). L. A Sacred Grief The leaves of the thick woodland canopy drum and rattle overhead, plucked at by a slow drizzling rain that never reaches you or the soil and undergrowth over which you walk. The shadows of the forest around you, broken only by dappled patches of fading sun, grow suddenly darker without obvious cause or warning. No… Not “darker,” not quite. Heavier. As though the gloom has taken on additional meaning, additional weight. Let the characters take whatever precautions they wish at this point. After a few moments of additional travel, continue. The boles part like a curtain to reveal a clearing, marked only a smattering of smaller trees and a gentle, shallowsloped hill. The raindrops, falling faintly before you or gathered on the leaves, seem to glow with silvery inner light. The air is heavy, weighing against your back and shoulders, like a burden you might never set down. Atop the hill, somehow more solid, more real, than everything else around it, an equine figure kneels on four bent knees. The white of its coat, through brilliant, snowy, pales beside the gleam of its single horn and the silvery sheen in its eyes. Sprawled atop the grass before the magnificent creature is a second unicorn, but this one lies oh so still. The brilliance of its coat is marred by dried blood; the sheen has left its eyes, never to return, and its horn… Is simply gone, leaving only a ragged, blade-bitten stump. The grieving creature does not move, does not turn your way, but you hear a voice in your head all the same. It is the sound of the forest itself, the whispering of rustling branches, the song of life weighted down by grief. “Have you come to kill me, too?” There’s sadly little the characters can do here. The deceased unicorn cannot be brought back with a mere raise dead; even if the soul of a celestial being were free to do so, it will not return to a body that has lost its sacred horn. Its grieving mate, other than the initial question to the characters, doesn’t say much. After a few moments it rises to slowly depart, fading away — perhaps teleporting, perhaps simply ceasing to be — as it goes. The dead unicorn vanishes along with it. If the characters show any sign of suitable respect or shared grief, it speaks in their minds once more before it is gone. “Avrandt. I haven’t it in me to remain in this wretched place, not even to seek justice. If you care to do so, though, the murderers came from a place called Avrandt.” M. Manticore Massacre Vultures, the occasional hyenas, and vast clouds of flies range through this high grassland, feasting on drying blood or cooling corpses. Several manticores, or sometimes just parts of manticores, lie scattered throughout the area like a child’s broken toys. Like encounter K, this is primarily a showcase that the hunt goes on. Again, this is not a combat encounter unless the GM chooses to add a few lingering survivors. With a DC 20 Wis (Survival) check, the characters can track the hunters back to the town of Corvul (see encounter O). N. Perytons This encounter occurs back within the borders of Aachen (unless you decide otherwise), but its exact position can vary. The mark on the map is just one possibility; all that matters is that there’s a town or village present. The best use of this encounter is as evidence that the monster threat is indeed beginning to cross the Amrin; run it either if characters need a bit more incentive to take on the adventure in the first place, or if they return to civilization to resupply themselves with goods that cannot be readily acquired out in the Unclaimed Lands. What first appeared to be a massive cloud passing before the sun suddenly splits apart, dissolving into well over a dozen furiously screeching horrors! Wings and antlers casting impossible shadows across the thatched roofs and screaming civilians, they plummet with talons outstretched. Individually or even in small groups, these creatures pose no threat at all to characters of the characters’ level. Unfortunately for them, there are no fewer than 17 perytons in this flock! Even worse, they’re smart enough to spread out and dive from multiple angles, making it difficult to catch many of them in a single spell or area effect. While they focus on the party once the characters prove themselves dangerous, they’re initially happy to attack whatever prey seems convenient, meaning the characters are again in a position where they need to protect civilians. Peryton (17): AC 13; HP 33 (6d8+6); Spd 20ft, fly 60ft; Melee gore (+5, 1d8+3 piercing), talons (+5, 2d4+3 piercing); SA dive attack (extra 2d8 damage on melee, dives 30ft or more straight toward target before the attack), multiattack (gore, talons); Resist normal weapons; Str +3, Dex +1, Con +3, Int –1, Wis +1, Cha +0; Skills Perception +5; Senses keen sight and smell; Traits flyby (doesn’t provoke opportunity attack when it flies out of enemy’s reach); AL CE; CR 2; XP 450. If their numbers are reduced to 5 or fewer, the perytons attempt to flee.

92 The Lost Lands: Adventures in the Borderland Provinces O. Corvul A small but thriving community in the hills at the far west of the Unclaimed Lands, Corvul consists of one large central town, a smaller village a short ways south, and some sprawling hillside vineyards. It is, in terms of population, the smallest of the three fiefdoms involved in the monster hunt/competition, but also the wealthiest per capita. The terrain is gentle, more rolling than steep, and relatively green. For more, reference the “Unclaimed Lands Fiefdoms” sidebar. As mentioned previously, Corvul is ruled by Baroness Ruvaka (female human college of valor Brd10). Seeing Baroness Ruvaka Anyone in town can direct the characters to the baroness’s home at the center of town; not that this should be necessary, since it’s visible from pretty much anywhere in Corvul. If and when the characters head that way, read the following. The so-called “keep” of Baroness Ruvaka is little more than a single tower, surrounded by a few outbuildings and huddled within an outer wall that’s not much more than a thick fence. Still, given the size of this “barony,” it’s actually a fairly decent effort at a defensive bastion. Certainly the hardeyed and heavily armored soldiers standing at the main gate look as though they take their duties seriously enough. The characters have enough of a reputation that, if they request to see the baroness, they’ll eventually be granted an audience. That said, Ruvaka is busy and needs to keep up appearances, so they won’t be allowed in immediately. Assume a delay of 1d4+1 days. A DC 20 Cha (Persuasion) check reduces the delay by 1, plus 1 additional day for every additional 5 points of success, to a minimum of 1 day. (So, 2 days with a roll of 25, 3 with a roll of 30, etc.) If, however, the characters averted the oni and ogre attack (encounter H), or helped defend the village against them, Ruvaka sees them immediately upon request. Several of the keep’s soldiers escort you through the gate and then through the heavy outer doors of the tower itself. You pass through a few short stone halls, echoing with footsteps and the voices of minor functionaries, until you arrive in what appears to be as much sitting room as audience chamber. A number of cushioned sofas and divans circle an owlbear-skin rug and a small table, which itself offers a selection of wines and juices. Sitting comfortably on one of those sofas on the opposite side of the table, and studying a list or report of some sort, is the woman you’ve come to see. Her features are sharp, striking; her hair and skin both quite dark, her gown — cut for comfort more than fashion — a creamy off-white. She offers you a friendly if not particularly sincere smile, and gestures for you to have a seat. A second wave of her hand sends your escorts to go stand at attention by the door. If the characters did well by her people in encounter H, she begins by thanking them for their action. Otherwise, she politely but directly moves straight to the point, asking the characters what it is they wish of her. Ruvaka is a reasonable woman, and when she learns the characters wish her to stop the monster hunt, she’s willing to hear them out. She’s sympathetic and more than a bit concerned if they explain the problems and possible political fallout of what’s happening down along the Amrin River. Once the characters have finished their request, and any conversation or questions that follow, read the following. For long moments Baroness Ruvaka seems to study the wine glasses on the table, clearly lost in thought. Finally, without looking up, she speaks. “I cannot back out of the competition alone. I simply cannot afford the loss of face or political prestige, and anyway, it would do no good in terms of solving your problems. You would have to convince Sir Habahn and Duke Fiodmar to cease their hunts as well. “There is also…” She pauses a moment, finally meeting your eyes. “Not many know this, but I have another reason for wanting the hunt to continue. “Years ago, before my time, a dragon dwelt in the wilds not far from here. Many of my generation believe this to be mere legend, but I know it for fact. My father, who ruled here before me, lost several close companions to a halfbreed creature we later discovered to be the offspring of this repulsive wyrm. It was technically a fever that killed him, but he was greatly weighted down by grief; he might not have fallen ill, might not have succumbed to his illness, had his spirit not already been weakened. “It’s been, I confess, a bit of an obsession of mine since then. I don’t pretend to know if I could, or would, ever truly seek vengeance on the dragon for adding to the monsters of my lands. I’m not even entirely sure I truly blame the creature for its spawn’s actions. Nevertheless, I must know everything I can about it before I can make such decisions. I’ve hoped to flush it out with the hunt, if it still dwells nearby. Or, if not the dragon itself, then one of its offspring who can give me its name and tell me if it still lives. “If you can do that for me, where my own hunters failed — and, yes, convince my competitors that they, too, must end their efforts — I will happily call off my part of the hunt.” It’s possible, if you began the adventure with encounter D, that the characters already have this information. If so, and they share it, Ruvaka is initially a bit skeptical, but a DC 15 Persuasion check — or an offer to accept questioning under zone of truth or similar magic, if she can provide it — eventually convince her of their honesty. If the characters don’t already have that information (or cannot convince her that they do), they can acquire it from any of the various half-dragon creatures scattered throughout the region. The hydra at encounter G, the dragons or dracolisk random encounters, or even Fiodmar himself can provide them with Khythontorryx’s name and the fact that he lives in the general vicinity, but no longer in this part of the Unclaimed Lands. You can add additional offspring as well, if need be. How hard it is for the characters to find one of them is up to you. You can drag it out, leaving it to random chance as they continue the adventure, or you can plant rumors of half-dragons among some of the other monsters and NPC encounters, allowing the heroes to track them down with relative alacrity. In either case, when the characters deliver the information, Ruvaka is both surprised and grateful, and — once they can also convince the other two lords to back down — keeps her word and calls her hunters off. Encounter P: Vath Vath stands amidst a stretch of overgrown plains, a small island amidst a sea of tall grasses. A single town and surrounding farms, Vath’s inflated sense of its own importance is obvious from the first approach. The abatis (a defensive wall of branches and spiked logs) surrounding it is far larger than it really needs to be, and a handful of the buildings within are made of stone rather than wood. Vath really wants to be a small city, rather than a country town, and if it needs to wear a bit of makeup and play dress up to look the part, it’s willing to do so. Again, other than the above, see “Unclaimed Lands Fiefdoms” for more detail. The ruler of Vath is Sir Habahn the Gray (male half-elf battlemaster Ftr9).

93 A Most Peculiar Hunt Seeing Sir Habahn Habahn is, like the community he formed, pretentious. He’s also selfish, gluttonous, and greedy, but masks it all in a façade of chivalry and nobility. He uses a false honor to cloak his utter lack of it, and isn’t honestly fooling much of anyone. At the precise center of town stands a squat stone structure, more of a lordly manor than any sort of castle or keep. Just getting enough rock here to construct the thing, in the midst of the grassland, must have been a monumental endeavor. An iron fence surrounds the property, revealing an estate of paths, trimmed grasses, and the occasional garden. Despite the house-like structure of the building, though, it doesn’t feel much like a home. The ostentation is clearly deliberate, and the fencing, thick walls, and regular patrols give it a definite fortress-like air. Atop the highest peak of the roof flaps a banner, showcasing a black silhouette of a lancer atop a rearing mount, against a field of gray. Characters must make a DC 25 Cha (Persuasion) check when attempting to schedule a audience with Sir Habahn. On a success, the self-proclaimed knight will see them in 1d6+1 days. For every 5 points by which the characters beat the DC (30, 35, etc.) the delay decreases by 1 day (to a minimum of 1). If the characters fail the check, the delay increases by 1 day, plus one additional day for every 5 points by which the missed the check. (So, 2 days for a roll of 20, 3 days for a roll of 15, and so forth.) However, offering the guard captain at the gate to Habahn’s estate a bribe grants a bonus on this Cha check; +1 for every 200gp-worth of “gift.” Once their appointment finally comes around, the guards attempt to demand that the characters surrender their weapons before being admitted. They won’t press, however, figuring it’s not worth the effort or trouble. The central chamber of the manor looks like a modern version of an old barbarian lord’s drinking hall. The ceiling soars high overhead, crisscrossed with support beams. Trophies of every imaginable sort hang along the walls: from old weapons and shields to the heads of dire wolves and the claws and tail spines of manticores. A dozen of the lord’s favored sycophants sit along the long table, feasting on roast Sooner or later, and on multiple occasions, the characters are going to find themselves entering the main towns of Unclaimed Lands “fiefdoms.” These communities tend to be thriving relatively well for the area, and may have stronger militias and fortifications than might be expected, but are otherwise unremarkable. In civilized lands such as Aachen, these might not even appear on local maps. Here in the Unclaimed Lands, however, they form the heart of numerous independent “states.” A large village—maybe two or three—and the surrounding farmlands, vineyards, and grazing fields are baronies, dukedoms, even kingdoms. Or so they call themselves, and nobody gainsays them, because anyone in a position to do so is actually making the same claims for themselves. As previously mentioned, Corvul, Avrandt, and Vath aren’t the only “village-states” in the immediate area. Until the characters begin gathering more information and receive some names from people, they have no reason to distinguish those three from the others. Use the following description when the characters enter their first village-state, then simply refer back to it — with modifications for nearby crops and terrain, weather, number/prominence of soldiers on the streets, etc. — for the next ones. Most of these villages look very much like one another. (You’ll want to come up with a few names for the “non-plot-specific” towns and their lords.) Thick fences, abbattises, and other wooden palisades divide this community from the wilderness beyond, but once inside it resembles a hundred other small towns in a hundred other places. Buildings of lumber and thatch stand in rough blocks, with streets of dirt running between them. Farmers and workers wander those byways, accompanied by the clump of hooves and the creaking of old wagon wheels. Yet there’s something different about this place. Guards and militiamen stand at attention or walk beside the peasants, remarkably well armed for so small a community. And even the meanest citizen holds his or her head with a sense of pride not often found in similar looking towns. They’re something special, out here in the Unclaimed Lands. A state unto themselves that, however small and however poor, has thus far held its own. For the record, characters can purchase very basic equipment — rations and supplies, tools, clothing, etc. — in any of these towns for more or less standard prices. They can purchase light armor and common simple weapons. For heavier armors, less common weapons, costly spell components, specific gems, alchemical items, spellcasting services, and the like, they’ll have to return to Aachen (or some other civilized region). Rumors If the characters ask around any of these towns/mini-kingdoms for rumors and information about the monster hunt, they may attempt a DC 10 Charisma check. The people know that the hunt is ongoing, and that several local lords are involved, but they don’t necessarily know why the hunt began. As to who’s involved, well, that’s where it gets tricky, and where the characters need to be careful which rumors they listen to. In Vath, Corvul, and Avrandt, the citizens know well that their own lord is one of those engaged in monster hunting. They’ve seen too many expeditions come in and out, with trophies held high, to remain ignorant. If the characters are in one of these three towns when they ask around about which lords are involved, the citizens offer the names of 3 or 4 lords. Of those, 1 is their own lord; 1 is another lord who is genuinely involved; and the remaining 1 or 2 are false leads. (The people aren’t lying to the characters; they’ve just believed rumors that aren’t true.) If the characters are in any of the other communities when they ask this question, the citizens there know that their own lords aren’t heavily involved. They still give the characters 3 or 4 names; one is a lord who is genuinely involved, and the other 2 or 3 are false rumors. (For example, if the characters are in Corvul when they gain this information, they will hear that Ruvalka is involved; they will hear that either Habahn or Fiodmar is involved; and they will hear the names of one or two other lords whom the peasant believe are involved, but aren’t.) Obviously, the characters don’t know that a false rumor is false. Thus, if they intend to learn who the culprits are via rumor gathering, they’ll have to go to multiple towns and see which names keep coming up, or see if the peasants name their own lord in the process. Unclaimed Land Fiefdoms

94 The Lost Lands: Adventures in the Borderland Provinces meats and foamy ales. At the head of the table sits a large man in gleaming plate; his hair is just growing out of neat trim, and his face is ruddy, flushed. He is clearly a lover of food and drink, but the way he moves and carries himself in his armor suggests real power and strength beneath the fleshy exterior. “We have guests!” he calls out, gesturing with a turkey leg. “Come, sit! Dine with us!” It is, of course, entirely up to the characters if they want to join the feast first, or get right to the point of their visit. Sir Habahn looks displeased with them if they interrupt, but otherwise it makes no real difference to him. Once the characters introduce the topic of their visit, Habahn orders the feasters out, leaving only himself and a handful of his guards in the room with the characters. Once Habahn has heard the characters out, continue with the following. The large knight slowly strokes his chin, takes an idle sip from his mug. “Were I speaking only for myself,” he says, “I would of course end the hunt immediately. It disturbs me that we’ve had such an unfortunate impact on our neighbors to the south. But it is not only about me. This hunt has brought substantial commerce and other income to Vath, as well as increasing our influence among our fellow communities out here in the Unclaimed Lands. I couldn’t possibly take that from my people now. “Not without… alternate economic benefits.” A DC 12 Wis (Insight) check, or simply players who are paying attention, reveals this to be a steaming load. Nevertheless, the knight stands by his argument; it’s going to take a bribe to get him to stop, even if it’s phrased as “economic aid” for his town. (He also, like Ruvaka, requires the characters obtain a commitment from the other two lords to also back down.) It’s vaguely possible to threaten Habahn into backing off without cost, but this requires a DC 30 Cha (Intimidate) check, makes the characters a lifelong enemy, and may cause political repercussions in the future. If the characters offer a bribe of at least 1000gp, they can convince him to end his hunt with a DC 25 Cha (Persuasion) check. For every additional 200gp beyond the first 1000, they gain a +1 bonus on the check. Q. Avrandt Located at the edge of the woodlands, Avrandt is the largest of the three competing provinces. The main town claims no fewer than three smaller satellite villages, and many acres of farmland. It’s otherwise fairly similar to any other regional communities; as always, see “Unclaimed Lands Fiefdoms” for more. What the characters likely don’t realize at first — though they may have some suspicion, if they’ve encountered the unicorn at encounter L — is that Duke Fiodmar isn’t just another petty lord engaged in prideful rivalry. There is power here in Avrandt, power and an almost bestial malevolence. The being currently calling itself “Fiodmar” is a half-green dragon doppelganger Pal15 (oath of vengeance). He is the offspring of Khythontorryx, and a seething cauldron of hatred for both his father and for civilization. Fiodmar dreams of setting the human nations at war, and leading a “monster” uprising to carve out a new kingdom of beasts and horrors, with himself as its king. He killed the original Duke Fiodmar and took his place some years ago, and has been slowly amassing wealth and knowledge. The competition of the monster hunt wasn’t his idea, but it offered him an opportunity he could not pass up. Seeing Duke Fiodmar A large wooden fort and palisade on the north end of town seems to be the seat of authority for Avrandt, to judge by the stream of messengers and petitioners going in and out. Laborers and craftsmen work on the outer defenses and the inner walls, strengthening and enlarging the structure. Clearly, someone’s concerned about defenses, perhaps even preparing for war. The laborers don’t seem especially happy about it, either. Red-faced and exhausted, they look as though they’ve been at this for some time now. Unlike the other two rulers, Fiodmar agrees to see the party within only an hour or two of their request. He instructs his messenger to play this up as respect for their reputations, but in fact Fiodmar’s anxious to learn just what these interlopers want, and what threat they might pose to his plans. Apparently, Duke Fiodmar thinks highly enough of himself to warrant something awfully close to a genuine throne room. His audience chamber has vaulted ceilings of twenty feet or higher. A broad walkway runs down the center from the door to… Not a throne, precisely, but a hefty, heavily cushioned chair that sits in the broad-armed embrace of an enormous stone statue. Rows of benches sit to each side, creating the look and feel of a royal court, even if only a few functionaries sit in those pews. Leaning back in the throne is a lean, balding man whose rich robes of office cannot quite conceal the leather armor beneath; clearly, he wishes to both look the part and be ready for any trouble that might arise. He doesn’t look exactly like the statue, but there’s enough similarity to suggest it may have been modified from its original design to more closely resemble him. “I am honored by your visit,” he tells you in deep, arrogant tones, “but my time is limited. What do you want?” Fiodmar is clearly not taken with the idea of ending the hunt. He demands, first and foremost, that the characters convince the others to back off as well. Unlike Ruvaka and Habahn, it’s not enough for him that the characters promise they will do so. If they don’t already have a commitment from the others, Fiodmar won’t even continue the negotiation, telling them to return if and when the others have agreed to cease the hunt. If the characters have already gotten those commitments, or if they go get them and then come back, continue with the following. Duke Fiodmar rises from his throne and begins to pace. He negligently waves a hand as he does so, ordering guards and functionaries out. The door shuts with a booming echo, so that only you and he remain in the audience chamber. “You must understand,” he tells you as he walks, back and forth, back and forth, “this hunt is very important to me. If this discussion is going to go anywhere, I need from you a favor that you may not be willing to provide. “I need you to die!” Fiodmar makes certain to make this pronouncement when he’s some distance from the throne and the statue behind it. After all, he wouldn’t want the characters to be able to catch him and his stone golem in a single attack or area effect! He and his golem attack immediately. Note: While Fiodmar is not a new monster per se, and all of his abilities and traits come from the core rules, the sheer number of special abilities to which he has access makes him something of a complex combatant. As such, Fiodmar has a long-form stat bock in the Monster Appendix, where his powers are given in substantially more detail.

95 A Most Peculiar Hunt Fiodmar , Male Half-Green Dragon Doppelganger Pal15 (oath of vengeance): AC 21; HP 253 (23d8+69); Spd 30ft; Melee frost brand rapier (+11, 1d8+8 piercing plus 1d6 cold plus 1d8 radiant), slam (+11, 1d6+6 bludgeoning plus 1d8 radiant); SA channel divinity (abjure enemy or vow of enmity), divine smite, multiattack (rapier x2 or slam x2), poison breath (recharge 5–6, poison gas in 15ft cone, 6d6 poison damage, DC 11 Constitution save for half); Resist poison; Immune charm, disease, fear; Str +0 (+3), Dex +6 (+9), Con +3 (+6), Int +0 (+3), Wis +1 (+9), Cha +3 (+11); Skills Deception +8, Insight +6, Intimidation +8, Persuasion +8; Senses blindsight 10ft, darkvision 60ft; Traits ambusher, aura of courage*, aura of protection*, cleansing touch (x3/long rest, divine sense, dueling fighting style*, improved divine smite*, lay on hands (pool of 75 hit points), read thoughts, relentless avenger, shapechanger, surprise attack; AL NE; CR 14; XP 11,500. (Monster Appendix) *These are already incorporated into Fiodmar’s stats. Spells (slots): 1st (4); 2nd (3); 3rd (3); 4th (2). Note: Fiodmar does not prepare spells; he uses his spell slots only to empower Divine Smite. Equipment: leather armor, shield, frost brand rapier. Stone Golem: AC 17; HP 178 (17d10+85); Spd 30ft; Melee slam (+10, 3d8+6 bludgeoning); SA multiattack (slam x2), slow (recharge 5–6; one or more creatures within 10ft; can’t use reactions, speed halved, can only make one attack, can take action or bonus action but not both, for 1 minute; DC 17 Wisdom save negates, can repeat at the end of its turn each round); Immune charm, exhaustion, fright, non-adamantine normal weapons, paralysis, petrify, poison, psychic; Str +6, Dex –1, Con +5, Int –4, Wis +0, Cha –5; Senses darkvision 120ft; Traits immutable form (immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form), magic resistance, magic weapons; AL U; CR 10; XP 5900 *Note: Remember to add Fiodmar’s Charisma bonus to the golem’s saves when they are within 10ft. Fiodmar is far too angry and far too prideful to acknowledge that these adventurers can defeat him, and the golem mindlessly obeys orders. Both fight to the death. The doppelganger is more than willing to talk or argue with the characters during combat, and feels no need to hide anything at this point. As such, they might be able to get some information out of him even as they fight, including the name of his draconic parent and the fact that he seeks to lead a veritable nation of monsters to wipe out the humans of the Borderlands. Fortunately, Fiodmar reverts to his natural form when he dies, so when the chaos finally dies down and the guards work up the nerve to burst through the door and find out just what the hell’s going on, the characters have plenty of evidence for their claims. R. Sour Grapes Defeating Fiodmar, and getting Ruvaka and Habahn to agree to stop their hunt, doesn’t mean things are quite over for the characters. There are now several bands of monster hunters who are out of a very lucrative job, and while most aren’t willing to challenge the characters over it, our old friend Dovrath isn’t quite so timid. He and his team attack the characters at a time and location of your choosing; they hope to catch the party unawares, but if the characters don’t drop their guard and are about to reach civilization, Dovrath throws caution to the wind and attacks anyway. Dovrath, Male Human Archmage: AC 12 (15 with mage armor); HP 99 (18d8+18); Spd 30ft; Melee dagger (+6, 1d4+2 piercing); Ranged dagger (+6, 20ft/60ft, 1d4+2 piercing); SA spells (Int +9, DC 17); Immune charm, divination spells, mind-reading, psychic damage; Resist normal weapons due to stoneskin; Str +0, Dex +2, Con +1, Int +5 (+9), Wis +2 (+6), Cha +3; Skills Arcana +13, History +13; Traits magic resistance; AL CN; CR 12; XP 8400. Innate Spells: at will—disguise self, invisibility Spells (slots): 0 (at will)—fire bolt, light, mage hand, prestidigitation, shocking grasp; 1st (4)—detect magic, identify, mage armor*, magic missile; 2nd (3)—detect thought, mirror image, misty step; 3rd (3)—counterspell, fly ,lightning bolt; 4th (3)—banishment, fire shield, stoneskin*; 5th (3)—cone of cold, scrying, wall of force; 6th (1)—globe of invulnerability; 7th (1)—teleport; 8th (1)—mind blank*; 9th (1)—time stop *already cast Equipment: dagger, spellbook Imriss, Female Human Assassin: AC 15; HP 78 (12d8+24); Spd 30ft; Melee shortsword (+7, x2, 1d6+3 piercing plus 7d6 poison [DC 15 Constitution saving throw for half]); Ranged light crossbow (+7, 80ft/320ft, 1d8+3 piercing plus 7d6 poison [DC 15 Constitution saving throw for half]); SA sneak attack (1/turn, 4d6 damage); Str +0, Dex +3 (+7), Con +2, Int +1 (+5), Wis +0, Cha +0; Skills Acrobatics +7, Deception +4, Perception +4, Stealth +11; Traits assassinate (on first turn, tactical advantage on attack against creature that hasn’t taken a turn, and any hit against a surprised creature is a critical hit), evasion (effect that allows a Dex save half, take no damage on success and only half on fail); AL CN; CR 8; XP 3900. Equipment: leather armor, poison (x10), shortsword, light crossbow, 20 bolts Torval and Yndra, Male and Female Human Monster Hunters (Gladiator variant): AC 16; HP 112 (15d8+45); Spd 30ft; Melee spear (+10, 2d6+4 piercing, or 2d8+4 piercing if used two-handed), shield bash (+10, 2d4+4 bludgeoning plus the target is knocked prone if Medium or smaller, DC 15 Str negates); Ranged spear (+10, 20ft/60ft, 2d6+4 piercing); SA multiattack (melee x3 or ranged x2); Str +7 (+10), Dex +2 (+5), Con +3 (+6), Int +0, Wis +1, Cha +2; Skills Athletics +10, Perception +4, Survival +4; Traits brave, brute, parry (reaction, +3 AC against one melee that would hit); AL N; CR 5; XP 1800. Equipment: studded leather, shield, 3 spears. These guys are pissed, but they’re not suicidal. Torval and Yndra surrender or attempt to flee if reduced to fewer than 30 hit points; Imriss does the same if below 20. Dovrath himself teleports away — with one or more of his companions if possible, but by himself if necessary — if A Hidden Evil It’s possible that the characters might discover earlier than intended that Fiodmar isn’t what he appears to be, perhaps through the use of various detection spells. If so, he and his golem attack immediately, working to eliminate any witnesses among the guards or courtroom aids, as well as the characters. On the other hand, if the players don’t discover Fiodmar’s true nature on their own, you might decide not to have him reveal himself here. The doppelganger could make for a good recurring hidden villain in your campaign. If you don’t feel the need to have this adventure wrap itself up, consider having him pretend to acquiesce to the characters’ requests. (Maybe he gives them a side quest like Ruvaka did, just to make it all seem on the up and up.) Then, when the heat’s off, he can resume his efforts at driving monsters south into Aachen through some other means.

96 The Lost Lands: Adventures in the Borderland Provinces he’s reduced to 20 hit points, or if all his companions have surrendered, fled, or dropped. While the characters are defending themselves, they’re better off not killing these particular opponents. Yes, leaving them alive means the characters have some new enemies, but it’ll only be these four. If the characters actually kill them, not only does this draw some questions from the authorities back home, but the characters have now earned the enmity of many of the region’s other adventurers. Thus, whether or not they live, Dovrath’s team are likely to be a source of trouble for the characters for some time to come. Lingering Issues The fact that the hunt has ended doesn’t mean the monsters instantly cease what they’re doing and return home. Many won’t realize the threat has passed. Others might prefer their new hunting grounds. It’s still going to require multiple expeditions to drive them back from the Amrin, and not everyone in Aachen is yet convinced that doing so is necessary. The characters may have further adventures, or at least further argument and negotiation, ahead of them. If the party was promised a reward by representatives of either Aachen or Bard’s Gate, their employers honor the agreement. Whether Khythontorryx does or not, however, depends on how much of an effort the characters actually made to avoid killing his offspring (other than Fiodmar), and whether Fiodmar himself was killed. Assuming the dragon is satisfied with their performance, he appears some days later to keep his end of the bargain — and keeps a very close eye on the characters for the foreseeable future, watching to see if they can continue to be useful tools, or if they’re becoming a threat he should eliminate. If the latter, he’s very likely to make a deal with some of the region’s disgruntled adventurers to strike at the characters, rather than doing so directly. This most peculiar hunt may be ended, but its repercussions might still be felt for months or years to come.

97 Ectarlin's Last Ride Strange happenings along the northern shore of Amrin Estuary are threatening Eastreach Province’s lucrative coastal trade. Merchant vessels are found adrift at sea or grounded out along the shoals and marshlands of the coast — their cargo holds partially looted and their crews vanished without a trace. It’s up the adventurers to get to the bottom of the mystery — but that mystery runs far deeper than anyone suspects. Ectarlin’s Last Ride involves careful investigation, challenging combat, and roleplaying as the characters attempt to discover what force was behind the attacks on the derelict ships. In the end, the heroes end up battling very different foes than the ones they set out to fight — and might find themselves defending those they first set out to vanquish. This adventure is designed for a party of 4–6 characters of 14th level. Adventure Background All merchants know to avoid the Lowwater Road that runs up the eastern coast of Eastreach Province — a wild and dangerous track. Virtually all trade between Eastgate, at the end of Amrin Estuary, and Eastwych, on the coast of Eastreach Province, sails on board the small merchant craft that ply the coastal waters. However, starting four weeks ago, a sudden disruption to the previously safe coastal trade routes has set a rising panic among the traders of two lands. When a slow coaster named the Blue Boar was three days late for arrival on a cargo run to Eastwych, small boats were quickly dispatched to see if the vessel had run aground. Blue Boar was found three days later, drifting far beyond the mouth of the Amrin Estuary with no crew and her holds ransacked. Over the following four weeks, four additional vessels have met the same fate — two running north from Eastgate to Eastwych, and two running the southerly return route. In the last three instances, the ships were fast caravels, carrying additional guards hired by the merchant houses — and it made no difference. Two of the ships were found grounded in the marshland south of the Lowwater road. The others were found adrift, heading out past Telar Brindel toward the open sea. In all five instances, the holds of the missing ships had been ransacked. Merchant clerks charged with tallying the cargo consistently reported that the lightest, most valuable commodities had been taken, even as larger, bulky trade goods were left behind. Though some reported seeing clear signs of combat on board the derelicts, no bodies have yet been found. The ransacking of the holds speaks to pirates as the power behind the attacks on the drifting ships, while the killing and dumping whole crews suggests a particularly bloodthirsty band of cutthroats newly operating along the coast. However, the merchant guilds whose ships have been targeted have had poor luck convincing the authorities to investigate. The League of Estuary Lords (all of whom owe fealty to Bard’s Gate) argue that the attacks are obviously the responsibility of Eastreach Province, since the pirates are clearly based along and striking from the marshes along the Lowwater Road. The local lords of Eastreach are just as adamant that since the attacks are happening in the Estuary, the problem belongs to the cities of Eastgate and Bard’s Gate. Having had enough of political squabbling, the merchants whose ships are being targeted are taking matters into their own hands. Ectarlin’s Last Ride

98 The Lost Lands: Adventures in the Borderland Provinces

99 Ectarlin's Last Ride The Real Story Although pirates operating along the seacoast are a part of the fate of the derelict ships, they are not the cause of it. Rather, the reappearance of an ancient undead power on a small island called the Black Spire has unleashed a pack of ravenous undead called soulstealers, which hunt by night for bodies and souls. The undead attack the ships of the coast because they are constrained to a fixed area around their undead lord — a once-powerful lich they call the Dread Master, now imprisoned in his dark island tomb. But as the Dread Master’s power grows, so does the range of his servants, and all the coast and the lands beyond will soon be potential targets for his dark hunger. The Dread Master and his spectral servants are not the only undead haunting the Amrin–Eastreach coastal borderlands, however. A century ago, a legendary knight named Ectarlin was the local freelord who fought against — and was slain by — the lich. With the Dread Master’s return to power, Ectarlin has returned as a mad ghost driven to fulfill his mission to protect the folk of the Lowwater lands. With him is the ghost ride: the spectral shades of the warriors who once followed Ectarlin into battle, and who promise to turn the Amrin coast into a battleground once again. Heroes for Hire Based on their individual or group reputation as adventurers who can get things done, the characters are sought out by representatives of merchant guilds in Eastgate or Eastwych (depending on where they happen to be). A merchant clerk named Bando Larna is the envoy to the adventurers. Meeting in private, he gives the characters the backstory presented above and presents the merchant guilds’ offer — 250gp per character up front, plus another 250gp each for the destruction of the pirate operation responsible for attacking the lost merchant ships. While rumors of the attacks have spread, a true understanding of their full scope has not, and the merchant lords would like to keep it that way. As such, they hope the characters can uncover the truth of what’s happening along the estuary — and quickly. The characters are not being hired to guard any particular ship; rather, the merchant guilds want them to patrol the Lowwater Road along the estuary, looking for signs of pirate activity and taking the fight to the bloodthirsty buccaneers. Alternate Hooks If the heroes-for-hire setup doesn’t appeal to you or the players, feel free to make use of the following options, or create your own. Right Place, Right Time: Though few locals and fewer merchants travel the Lowwater Road, the dangers of the road and the surrounding marsh- and scrubland might simply seem a pleasant walk to a 14th-level party. If the characters have business that takes them north or south along the road, they might simply happen across the encounter that kicks off Ghosts on the Water, the first part of the adventure. Lost Friends: One or more NPCs the characters know were among the crew members lost on the derelict ships (either sailors or mercenaries hired for protection after the initial disappearances). The adventurers can use this personal connection to strike out along the Lowwater Road, seeking retribution for fallen friends, or hoping perhaps that the missing NPCs might still be alive. Ghosts on the Water Whatever hook you use to inspire the characters’ involvement in the mystery of the derelict ships, the action kicks off along the Lowwater Road, close to the mouth of Amrin Estuary where it meets the Sinnar Ocean. In the dark of night, a pirate raid in progress draws the characters into the adventure. Lights in the Night This initial encounter takes place late at night, when the soulstealers are active and the local pirate band known as the Black Ghosts are taking unwitting advantage of the undead creatures’ dark deeds. Whether the characters are traveling by dark, camped out for the night along the Lowwater Road, or have set a watch for possible pirate activity, mysterious lights are the clue that draws them in. The wind is blowing off the estuary, with the nightchilled tang of salt air thankfully overpowering the fetid scent of marsh that’s followed you through the day’s ride along the Lowwater Road. The moon is veiled by the clouds that have threatened rain all day, setting a wan, gray light across the landscape. At the top of an escarpment where the Lowwater Road defies its name to temporarily twist above the surrounding marshland, you have a good view of the land around you, all the way to the sea. Against the dimness of the night, a sudden flare of light shines out to the west, then is just as suddenly gone. After a moment, it appears again — the light of a lamp or lantern being swung in a wide arc, up and down, in some kind of signal. A successful DC 12 Wis (Survival) check judges that the signal came from close offshore and no more than a half-mile ahead. The light was a scout from the Black Ghost pirate band having spotted and reached the scuttled merchant coaster Gull’s Egg, and signaling that the ships crew has vanished, as the pirates expect. In the time it takes the characters to make their way toward where they saw the light, the Gull’s Egg has been grounded and the pirates are quickly relieving the ship of its remaining cargo. Salvage Operation As the characters draw close, they see the Black Ghosts at a distance — a band of humans all dressed in dark leather and black masks. An equal mix of men and women, the pirates hail from a village along the southern flank of the Forest of Hope. But though they are actively looting the scuttled ship, they are not the agents behind its fate, as the characters will learn. Following a haphazard path through the marsh, you take shelter behind a stand of gnarled and rotting willow trees. Along the shore a hundred paces ahead, you see a small merchant coaster run aground, its deck heaved over at a steep angle. Its sails are still fully set and filled out by wind blowing in off the darkened coast. Even in the faint haze of cloudy moonlight, you can see figures in small boats plying the choppy water between the foundering ship and the shore. The sailors move with quick purpose and are in black from head to foot — including the masks that cover their faces. Two figures are in each of two pinnaces moving to and from the ship. One figure rows while the other holds a crossbow at the ready — the same weapon seen in the hands of sentries standing watch along the shoreline, where even more pirates sort through barrels and boxes spread across the beach, quickly packing select goods onto a dozen pack horses. The Black Ghosts are 3 pirate captains (bandit captain) leading 12 pirates (bandit). The characters can take any number of approaches to dealing with the pirates.